Kasumi Tendo whiped her forehead, heaving a sigh of relief. It had taken so long to clean up after dinner tonight. It was normally something of a chore anyway, with the way Ranma and his father battled, scattering food everywhere, upsetting dishes, banging the table about. But tonight, Kodachi, Ukyo, and Shampoo had all three turned up with large meals for their intended. The resulting fight had scattered various edibles across every surface of the room. Kasumi sat back on her legs, glancing around. It had taken her until half past midnight, but every surface in the room gleamed with a soft, warm cleanliness... for perhaps five more hours. Sighing again, showing a bit more disheartenment than most would think characteristic of her, Kasumi shook her head. 'Oh my. I may as well stay up and try to catch a nap this afternoon...' Smiling a little, Kasumi stood up and walked to the broom closet. 'I may as well.'
     Opening the door to the closet, Kasumi stood on tiptoe to reach towards the back of the highest shelf, retrieving her lone secret vice. Quickly tucking it under one arm and closing the door, the eldest Tendo sister glanced around, assuring herself that no one was about. 'I hope the batteries aren't run down,' she thought, frowning just the tiniest of increments at the thought of having to wait on the batteries to charge. Tucking herself into a corner of the room next to the stand with the phone on it, hiking her dress up a bit as she sat down, Kasumi bit her lower lip, glanced around one final time to make sure no one was about, and hit the power button. She smiled and sighed softly with relief as it hummed to life.
     'I hate having to wait for the laptop's batteries to recharge...'
     Just to be sure, she plugged it into the wall outlet while watching the scrolling of white text detailing what was going on with her computer's bootup process. The laptop and its highly-expensive internet access were both things that the Tendo household could ill afford, but Kasumi knew that they were the only things allowing her to deal with the insanity in her life. So, she scraped together what she could, made a little money by using services that paid money to monitor the kinds of sites she visited, and paid for it herself, not letting anyone else know about it. She knew it was a horribly frivolous expense, at least to others, but she just couldn't give it up... especially not after these past three months.
     At that thought, Kasumi's eyes went to the other rolled-up and bound chord at the back of the computer, chewing her lip. 'She probably won't be on so late... and it's so expensive.' But she was already unfurling the phone chord and unplugging the phone itself to slip the modem connector in. She almost winced at the volume of the dialup, then sighed as no one came padding down the stairs to investigate. She clicked up ICQ, scanned over the list of names as the Users Online list filled out, and felt her heart sink a little. 'Thought so...' But, since she was already on, she went ahead and brought up IRC, choosing her usual server and clicking 'Connect'. A number of quiet beeps later, she scanned her Notify list, and again sighed as the name she searched for was absent. But, seeing several others, she chose #Usual_Restaurant from her rooms list and clicked Join.
*** Now talking in #Usual_Restaurant
*** Topic is 'Neo looks up from hours of learning stuff, right at Morpheus, and says, in typical dazed Keanu voice, "Dood... where's my phonebooth?"'
*** Set by Rann-chan on Mon Mar 20 18:07:32
<Rann-chan>  Kas-chan!
*  Dragoness_Carla glompies Kasumi!
<Katsuko>  Heya, TK.
<TKasumi>  Hello, everyone! ^_^
<Rann-chan>  You're up late, sugar. Y'family goin' nuts on ya again?
     Kasumi smiled a bit. Rann often typed with an accent, and it reminded her of Ukyo's manner of speech,
<TKasumi>  Oh, a little. But they all mean well, really... it's just that things happen.
*  Dragoness_Carla hugs ;_;
<Katsuko>  Things named Shampoo and Ukyo and Ranma...?
<Kasumi>  ... Well...
<Dragoness_Carla>  Forgot Kodachi.
<Rann-chan>  I still say you need to let me come up there and take Shampoo of fRanma's hands! ^_~ Rowr!
*  Dragoness_Carla baps Rann. ;p
<Rann-chan>  Off Ranma's, even. OW!
*  Rann-chan smacks Carla back.
*  Dragoness_Carla cries! ;_;
     Putting a hand to her mouth to stifle her giggles, Kasumi smiled and returned to typing, her long, elegant fingers dancing easily over the cramped keyboard.
*  TKasumi giggles. "Now now, you to, behave yourselves."
<TKasumi>  to=two
*  Rann-chan hmphs and shakes Carla. "See what you did?! You got us in trouble!"
*  Dragoness_Carla acks! and shoves Rann "It's 'your' fault!"
     Stifling another laugh, Kasumi prepared to type in another friendly admonishment, when she heard a soft computer sound and noticed a face blinking over her ICQ system tray. Feeling a bit of hope flicker through her, she started to move the trackball over the icon to see who had logged on. But she found she didn't need to, and felt her heart lift and her spirit perk high.
*  Bell-chan is on IRC
***  Bell-chan (present@lvl1unlimited.goddess.midgard.yggdrasil.org) has joined #Usual_Restaurant
*  Rann-chan glomps Bell!
*  Dragoness_Carla glomps Bell-chan!
<Rann-chan>  Ha! Beat you to it!
<Dragoness_Carla>  Did not did not!
<Bell-chan>  <giggles> Hello, children.
     Already starting to type in a private message, Kasumi blinked then smiled delightedly as a query window popped up just before she could hit enter.
*  Bell-chan hugs her TK-chan. ^_^
*  TKasumi hugs B-chan. "I'm glad you came on." n.n
<Bell-chan>  You're on very late, TK-chan. Is something wrong?
     Kasumi hmmed softly, considering for a moment before typing /me had to stay up late getting the dining room clean again.
*  TKasumi had to stay up late getting the dining room clean again.
<Bell-chan>  Oh dear. :(
<TKasumi>  Yes. And since I have to make breakfast in a few hours anyway...
<Bell-chan>  Oh, TK-chan. <hugs tight>
*  TKasumi sighs and hugs back.
<Bell-chan>  I'm sorry. I wish I could help.
<TKasumi>  B-chan, you do help! You help by being here! You make me feel so much better just when I see your name...
*  Bell-chan blushes and hugs TK again.
*  TKasumi hugs back.
     The screen was quiet for a few moments, then:
*  Bell-chan kisses TK-chan. *^^*
     Kasumi blushed, feeling her cheeks warm. She had met Bell-chan three months ago, and they had discovered a number of common interests. They'd swapped recipes, traded housekeeping tips. They'd soon discovered that they had similarly hectic home lives, and Kasumi had found someone she could share a somewhat edited version of the events going on with the other woman (though she often suspected that Bell's stories were similarly edited). She felt she could trust herself to show Bell the emotions that she couldn't share with anyone else. Lately, during the past few weeks, she had realized that they'd both grown... very close. She spent most of her time away from the computer thinking about Bell, and Bell admitted feeling much the same. The hug-poses grew more numerous, the shared feelings more intimate. Several times, one or the other had initiated tentative, nervousish kisses, but it always broke up after the reply pose. As always, Kasumi took a deep breath, and responded.
*  TKasumi kisses you back. *n.n*
     There was a long, expectant pause, a pregnant wait. Kasumi pictured the other woman gathering herself, making the decision; whether they'd continue it this time, take it further. The moments stretched into a minute, two. Almost as she was about to ping her friend, the pose came through.
*  Bell-chan keeps kissing you, slipping her arms slowly around your waist.
     Kasumi gasped softly. Bell had decided to keep going... they had never made it beyond the second pose. Licking lips that had suddenly gone dry, Kasumi tried to collect herself. 'Alright, okay... oh my... how do I...? Okay... just keep calm, Kasumi... you've thought about doing this with her before... just... don't move too fast, and... try to keep both hands on the keyboard.' Blushing furiously, Kasumi considered her reply for a few heated moments before typing /me puts her arms around you as well, fingers slipping into your hair.
*  TKasumi puts her arms around you as well, fingers slipping into your hair.
     Unnoticed, in the main room:
<Rann-chan>  So, then, of course, no one would eat the stuff. Oh well, at least it turned out better than most of Akane's stuff, ne, Kas-chan? n.n
<Rann-chan>  ... Kas-chan?
<Katsuko>  Her ping's fine...
<Rann-chan>  Oh, those two are off in their own little world again. I wish they'd just buy rings or something...
     Kasumi would have blushed even more (if possible) if she had been paying any attention to #Usual_Restaurant, but she had eyes only for the private message window with Bell-chan's name on it.
*  Bell-chan hugs you tighter to her... letting her tongue touch lightly against your lips.
     The eldest Tendo daughter was starting to feel rather overheated underneath her dress, and undid the top few buttons, feeling a small gust of heat strike her under the chin. She felt warmth tingling up from her sex and into her stomach, setting off nervous, excited fluttering sensations. Breathing a little faster, she licked her lips again and typed back.
*  TKasumi opens her mouth to accept your tongue, touching her own against it.
*  Bell-chan mmms and twirls her tongue around yours, sucking a little.
*  TKasumi moans softly into your mouth, pressed close to you.
     Out in the real world, Kasumi's chest was heaving a bit, her breathing heavy. She could feel that her wetness was already starting to dampen her panties. 'Oh my... and we're only kissing... I may have to try typing one-handed afterall...'
*  Bell-chan gently starts pulling your clothes off, never stopping kissing you.
*  TKasumi shivers a bit, but does the same, pulling at your clothes, touching your revealed skin.
*  Bell-chan gently pushes you unto your back, slowly breaking our kiss, kissing down your throat.
*  TKasumi moans softly again, her nipples hard.
*  Bell-chan kisses one of those hard nipples, then sucks on it.
     Her nipples were indeed quite hard, and rubbing against the cloth of her bra with every heaving breath. Kasumi gulped again, casting a nervous glance at the stairs before quickly typing out /me gasps and moans, stroking your hair. Then she leaned back slightly, tugging up her skirt and lightly touching the cotton crotch of her panties, biting down harder on her lip so that the only sound she made was a small muted hiss of pleasure.
* TKasumi gasps and moans, stroking your hair.
* Bell-chan kisses her way down your stomach to your sex.
     Kasumi gave a little gasp, her finger managing to thrum across her clit through her panties just as she read the line Bell-chan had sent, the pause perhaps indicating her partner was doing much the same thing so many miles away. She pulled her hand away so she could type more quickly, and was bemused to find that a few of her fingers left damp spots on the keys.
* TKasumi cries out loudly, moving her hips to meet your mouth.
     Her breathing continued to quicken and become ragged, fingers lightly stroking at the damp cloth of her panties as she waited for the next line to pop up. When it did, she almost fell over from a combination of frustration and annoyance.
<Bell-chan>  TK-chan, gomen nasai, but my little sister had a nightmare and came in, she almost caught me, I have to go, she's very upset. Can I call you tomorrow? Please?
     Sighing deeply, Kasumi straightened her clothes and composed herself a bit before typing back, but doing so quickly, as she knew Bell-chan would have to go in a minute or less. Well, it was inevitable... if someone on Bell's side hadn't interrupted them, no doubt in moments Ranma or Akane would have wandered downstairs for a midnight snack.
<TKasumi>  Please do! Please!
     She followed up with her complete phone number, then watched as the blue text popped up in several windows, along with some green. Sighing, she closed the private chat and looked at #Usual_Restaurant.
*** Bell-chan has left IRC
*** Bell-chan has quit IRC (Quit: Be excellent to each other!)
<Rann-chan>  Tch... didn't even say goodnight. Wonder what Urd did this time...?
<TKasumi>  Acrually, Skuld had a nightmare.
<Dragoness_Carla>  You always win at Quake!
<TKasumi>  Actually, even.
<Katsuko>  That's cos my skin is bl00 n.n
<TKasumi> I'm going to go, too. Oyasumi nasai, minna.
<Rann-chan>  Night, sugar.
<Dragoness_Carla> Oyasumi! Sweet dreams!
<Katsuko>  Nights.
     With a little smile, she typed in /qut and hit enter, then sighed as she got an error in her main window, arrowing up and over to add in an i.
*** Disconnected
     She closed the channel window, idly glancing at the main window to read her quit message, wondering if it was time to change it.
Closing Link: anony871.nerima.ja.discouacc.com (Quit: Cold water is very unhealthy!)
     Sighing, she began gathering up the computer as it shut down, rolling up the chords and plugging the phone back in. She'd just have to try and... relieve her tension before she took a soak in the furo. Probably a bit safer in the bathroom than here in the middle of the living room. Besides, she'd have to change her clothes anyway... and be very careful about where in the hamper she put her undergarments. Not like anyone else would do the laundry, but still...
 Without her, life in the #Usual_Restaurant continued.
<Rann-chan>  Well, I think we all know why THEY were so quiet.
<Katsuko>  Yup.
<Alessia>  Hey. What'd I miss?
<Rann-chan> Everything, Ms. Idle.
<Dragoness_Carla> "What were they doing?
<Alessia>  ;p
<Rann-chan>  Even you're not quite THAT innocent, altar boy. h.h
<Dragoness_Carla>  Hmph! ;p Pervert!
<Rann-chan>  Essacto. ^_^ And, speaking of which, I have a post to make to my mailing list! So, if you'll all excuse me, I'll say goodnight.
<Katsuko>  Night
<Alessia>  Oyasumi!
<Dragoness_Carla>  Hmph. Goodnight.
     Somewhere, a figure typed /quit and set back, smirking at the message in the main window.
Closing Link: itsasecret.alntn1.tx.home.com (Quit: It's not the bullet with your name on it that you have to worry about, it's the 20,000 odd rounds labeled "Occupant". - Murphy's Laws of Combat)
     Grinning, the figure grabbed up a small Snorlax plushie sitting on a speaker and gave it a squeeze, chuckling lightly.
     "Those two would kill me if they ever knew. Ah well... one takes risks for one's art, right?" With another chuckle, the Snorlax was set down on top of the speaker, and Netscape mail came up on the screen with the click of a mouse. A few settings had to be changed, and then the template 'Fanfic (?/??)' was brought up. Slowly, and with a relish, 'Fanfic' was highlighted and replaced by the words 'File Sharing'...