Chapter Three:
All written works displayed are (C) K.E. Wright.
Ichigo:
Oh sweet Kami-sama, I was screwed, and not in the fun way.
The decision had been out of my hands. It had been decided by Keena that I would be staying the night here, at my best friend's older sister's apartment. The downside was I wanted her so bad I could practically taste her. However, her virtue was in no danger from me: I had been so long without a normal, deep full-night's sleep that I would probably sleep through it if she crawled on top of me. It would just be awesome to sleep through the night without sexual interuptus, honestly.
Let's be honest: I was thrilled for Renji that he was finally with Shuei. He was my best friend. Seriously, I was totally happy to not have to hear him whine –no, not whine, because Renji Abari never whines, but he sure does grumble a lot– about how Shuei never noticed him at work, how cute Shuei's ass was, how hot Shuei's tattoos made him… Trust me, the love-sick rantings went on and on. I had suffered through six months of nothing but non-stop lust and love-sickness since he first noticed the new dancer on staff.
I mean it: I was really happy for Renji.
That did not in any way mean that I needed to hear my roommate and his lover have sex. There's being open and okay with a guy's sexuality, and there's hearing him moan out his lover's name. Trust me, I never wanted to know what my best friend sounded like during orgasm, but trust me: after the sexual marathons that went on in his room, I knew that and how Shuei sounded when he came. Not a happy thing, my knowing those things.
So I really had no complaints against her forcing me to stay in her apartment. I followed her directions down the hall and she followed me, pointing out the room that I was to occupy. Then she slipped into the next room, right beside the one she was letting me use. Since there was only one more door in the hallway and she'd already told me that the bathrooms were en suite, I assumed that it was her room.
I slipped into the room quietly, not bothering to shut the door behind me. A long sigh slipped through my lips as I sat down on the edge of the bed. I don't know why, but I was surprised to find that it was at least as comfortable as the one back home in my apartment. But that was Keena for you: it was all in the small touches with her. She liked to surprise you with the little things to make you comfortable.
Despite the luxury of her apartment, the walls were still thin enough to hear her phone and the tones on a ten-digit number dialed from her speed-dial. I could hear her voice through the wall, could hear the anger tingeing her tone.
"Ren," I heard her growl. "Stop messing with your boy-toy for five minutes so I can talk to you."
I could hear a short pause, but then she was growling at him again. "Listen up, ototō-san. You need to learn to have more respect for others. Aren't you wondering where your roommate is yet? I mean, seriously: it's four a.m. For all you know, he got raped in an alley somewhere."
The pause was heavy. I wondered what in the hell Ren would say to that one. Probably, 'Well at least he's getting laid; he gets bitchy if he goes too long without sex.'
I could almost hear her smile as she returned, "Well, at least I'm looking out for him. No one held him up in an alley, so I can't tell you that one. I'm currently tasked with keeping him safe from the sexcapades. He hasn't been sleeping so well." Her tone seemed to add, 'And I wonder why that could be'.
"Oh, that's bullshit, Ren! You know exactly how thin walls can be," she barked out. "Ya know, it's likely that he can hear every word I'm saying, but he's gonna be able to sleep through the night!"
He must have asked a question of her, and she returned, "Well, he was here anyway. We were discussing work. He agreed to partner with me for the couple routine."
There was another short pause and she shot back, "Look, Ren, I have school in the morning. Shut up and let me sleep!"
He obviously said something back, and she sighed. "I love you, too, you massive pain in my ass."
I heard two consecutive dull thunks that I assumed came from her phone snapping closed and her tossing it on a table or something.
I relaxed and laid back on the bed for a few moments before she knocked at the room's door.
"Yeah?" I asked, sitting up to look that way.
She cautiously stuck her head into the room. "Well, I hope that I've taken care of that particular problem for you, but any time you need a place to crash, you're welcome here. I apologize for getting a little loud on the phone, as well: unfortunately, the walls are thin and I'm not as used to thinking about another person being here as I used to be." She looked a little sad, or maybe just a bit lonely. I never thought of her as a lonely person before; I guessed she just covered it better than others do. "That said, I require payment for this," she added, a smile tugging at her lips.
"Oh, yeah? What type of payment are you thinking of?" I asked, not sure if she was being serious or if she was kidding.
"I just need a little assurance that someone's in the next room. And the last person who slept in that bed as Renji, before he got a boyfriend, thank god." She gave me a soft smile. "So all I require a bedtime hug and a kiss," she added, a mischievous gleam dancing in her eyes.
A guy had to wonder: just how lonely was she? I mean, I had a hard time imagining a beautiful woman like herself to be alone at all when it came to male companionship. Then again, I was constantly harassed because of my looks, so maybe I knew exactly how she got to be alone. Maybe she was just like me: the kind of person that spends so much time on their own that they just don't realize how lonely they are until there's another person in the space that used to be their own.
Meanwhile, I still had yet to figure out if her 'required payment' was a joke or not. I mean, she certainly liked to kid, from how I'd seen her interact with people at work. But she could also be serious.
Well, it's better to be safe than sorry on some things. I'd rather not offend the person who'd offered me a place to stay. Besides, I'd done this for nearly two decades for my two younger sisters, so I really had no problem with it. And it wasn't like either of us were stepping out of the platonic zone, so it should be alright even if it was a joke.
So I crawled out of the bed, wanting to blush because of my lack of grace in doing so, and rose to my feet. I crossed the small room in a series of long strides. When I stood before her, I wrapped my arms around her warmly and gently and pulled her closer against my chest before brushing a light kiss to her now-coloring cheek. "Good night, Kee-chan. And thank you."
"I was just teasing, Ichi," she muttered, her blush darkening. "Sweet dreams, Ichi-kun."
Then she did the cutest thing I had ever seen her do. She rose up on her tip-toes and nuzzled against my cheek before fluttering her long lashes against my skin. The barely-there brush of her lashes against my skin sent a bolt of heat straight to my groin. Seriously?! I asked my impudent body and libido.
"Butterfly kiss," she murmured in explanation. Then, she turned on her heel and quickly returned to her own room, almost as if she were retreating.
Now, as I became almost painfully hard, I had one burning question on my mind: Was she teasing me beyond all reason or does she really have no idea what she does to me?
Oh sweet Kami-sama, I was screwed, and not in the fun way.
The decision had been out of my hands. It had been decided by Keena that I would be staying the night here, at my best friend's older sister's apartment. The downside was I wanted her so bad I could practically taste her. However, her virtue was in no danger from me: I had been so long without a normal, deep full-night's sleep that I would probably sleep through it if she crawled on top of me. It would just be awesome to sleep through the night without sexual interuptus, honestly.
Let's be honest: I was thrilled for Renji that he was finally with Shuei. He was my best friend. Seriously, I was totally happy to not have to hear him whine –no, not whine, because Renji Abari never whines, but he sure does grumble a lot– about how Shuei never noticed him at work, how cute Shuei's ass was, how hot Shuei's tattoos made him… Trust me, the love-sick rantings went on and on. I had suffered through six months of nothing but non-stop lust and love-sickness since he first noticed the new dancer on staff.
I mean it: I was really happy for Renji.
That did not in any way mean that I needed to hear my roommate and his lover have sex. There's being open and okay with a guy's sexuality, and there's hearing him moan out his lover's name. Trust me, I never wanted to know what my best friend sounded like during orgasm, but trust me: after the sexual marathons that went on in his room, I knew that and how Shuei sounded when he came. Not a happy thing, my knowing those things.
So I really had no complaints against her forcing me to stay in her apartment. I followed her directions down the hall and she followed me, pointing out the room that I was to occupy. Then she slipped into the next room, right beside the one she was letting me use. Since there was only one more door in the hallway and she'd already told me that the bathrooms were en suite, I assumed that it was her room.
I slipped into the room quietly, not bothering to shut the door behind me. A long sigh slipped through my lips as I sat down on the edge of the bed. I don't know why, but I was surprised to find that it was at least as comfortable as the one back home in my apartment. But that was Keena for you: it was all in the small touches with her. She liked to surprise you with the little things to make you comfortable.
Despite the luxury of her apartment, the walls were still thin enough to hear her phone and the tones on a ten-digit number dialed from her speed-dial. I could hear her voice through the wall, could hear the anger tingeing her tone.
"Ren," I heard her growl. "Stop messing with your boy-toy for five minutes so I can talk to you."
I could hear a short pause, but then she was growling at him again. "Listen up, ototō-san. You need to learn to have more respect for others. Aren't you wondering where your roommate is yet? I mean, seriously: it's four a.m. For all you know, he got raped in an alley somewhere."
The pause was heavy. I wondered what in the hell Ren would say to that one. Probably, 'Well at least he's getting laid; he gets bitchy if he goes too long without sex.'
I could almost hear her smile as she returned, "Well, at least I'm looking out for him. No one held him up in an alley, so I can't tell you that one. I'm currently tasked with keeping him safe from the sexcapades. He hasn't been sleeping so well." Her tone seemed to add, 'And I wonder why that could be'.
"Oh, that's bullshit, Ren! You know exactly how thin walls can be," she barked out. "Ya know, it's likely that he can hear every word I'm saying, but he's gonna be able to sleep through the night!"
He must have asked a question of her, and she returned, "Well, he was here anyway. We were discussing work. He agreed to partner with me for the couple routine."
There was another short pause and she shot back, "Look, Ren, I have school in the morning. Shut up and let me sleep!"
He obviously said something back, and she sighed. "I love you, too, you massive pain in my ass."
I heard two consecutive dull thunks that I assumed came from her phone snapping closed and her tossing it on a table or something.
I relaxed and laid back on the bed for a few moments before she knocked at the room's door.
"Yeah?" I asked, sitting up to look that way.
She cautiously stuck her head into the room. "Well, I hope that I've taken care of that particular problem for you, but any time you need a place to crash, you're welcome here. I apologize for getting a little loud on the phone, as well: unfortunately, the walls are thin and I'm not as used to thinking about another person being here as I used to be." She looked a little sad, or maybe just a bit lonely. I never thought of her as a lonely person before; I guessed she just covered it better than others do. "That said, I require payment for this," she added, a smile tugging at her lips.
"Oh, yeah? What type of payment are you thinking of?" I asked, not sure if she was being serious or if she was kidding.
"I just need a little assurance that someone's in the next room. And the last person who slept in that bed as Renji, before he got a boyfriend, thank god." She gave me a soft smile. "So all I require a bedtime hug and a kiss," she added, a mischievous gleam dancing in her eyes.
A guy had to wonder: just how lonely was she? I mean, I had a hard time imagining a beautiful woman like herself to be alone at all when it came to male companionship. Then again, I was constantly harassed because of my looks, so maybe I knew exactly how she got to be alone. Maybe she was just like me: the kind of person that spends so much time on their own that they just don't realize how lonely they are until there's another person in the space that used to be their own.
Meanwhile, I still had yet to figure out if her 'required payment' was a joke or not. I mean, she certainly liked to kid, from how I'd seen her interact with people at work. But she could also be serious.
Well, it's better to be safe than sorry on some things. I'd rather not offend the person who'd offered me a place to stay. Besides, I'd done this for nearly two decades for my two younger sisters, so I really had no problem with it. And it wasn't like either of us were stepping out of the platonic zone, so it should be alright even if it was a joke.
So I crawled out of the bed, wanting to blush because of my lack of grace in doing so, and rose to my feet. I crossed the small room in a series of long strides. When I stood before her, I wrapped my arms around her warmly and gently and pulled her closer against my chest before brushing a light kiss to her now-coloring cheek. "Good night, Kee-chan. And thank you."
"I was just teasing, Ichi," she muttered, her blush darkening. "Sweet dreams, Ichi-kun."
Then she did the cutest thing I had ever seen her do. She rose up on her tip-toes and nuzzled against my cheek before fluttering her long lashes against my skin. The barely-there brush of her lashes against my skin sent a bolt of heat straight to my groin. Seriously?! I asked my impudent body and libido.
"Butterfly kiss," she murmured in explanation. Then, she turned on her heel and quickly returned to her own room, almost as if she were retreating.
Now, as I became almost painfully hard, I had one burning question on my mind: Was she teasing me beyond all reason or does she really have no idea what she does to me?
Renji:
I kissed my boyfriend, feeling ecstatic and triumphant all at once. "That was my sister. Care to guess where Ichi is tonight?"
Shuhei's smile was strangely tender. "So you know how your sister feels about him. Would that be why we've been having non-stop sex to the point of exhaustion for the last week?"
I could feel the heat in my cheeks. "Well, I have an in who knew Shusuì would ask for partner routines, and there's only one straight male dancer and one straight female dancer. We just… helped drive them together. And my sister surely told him she wasn't a lesbian, because she doesn't like operating under false pretences."
My boyfriend laughed at me –well, at my actions, at least. "You're like a meddlesome middle-aged woman, Renji-koi." He pressed a gentle kiss to my lips. "Shall we get some sleep for once?"
I curled up into his warmth and couldn't keep the smile off of my lips. I listened to the sound of his heartbeat until I fell asleep.
I kissed my boyfriend, feeling ecstatic and triumphant all at once. "That was my sister. Care to guess where Ichi is tonight?"
Shuhei's smile was strangely tender. "So you know how your sister feels about him. Would that be why we've been having non-stop sex to the point of exhaustion for the last week?"
I could feel the heat in my cheeks. "Well, I have an in who knew Shusuì would ask for partner routines, and there's only one straight male dancer and one straight female dancer. We just… helped drive them together. And my sister surely told him she wasn't a lesbian, because she doesn't like operating under false pretences."
My boyfriend laughed at me –well, at my actions, at least. "You're like a meddlesome middle-aged woman, Renji-koi." He pressed a gentle kiss to my lips. "Shall we get some sleep for once?"
I curled up into his warmth and couldn't keep the smile off of my lips. I listened to the sound of his heartbeat until I fell asleep.
Keena:
I couldn't believe I'd given him a butterfly kiss.
The only people who'd ever received that from me were family: my father, his lover, my mother, and my brother. I'd never given one to a lover, let alone someone was I was simply interested in. I placed a strange value on traditions that I did only with my family, and I did not do them with or for anyone who was outside of that family unit, as untraditional as it might be.
I sighed and lay down on the bed for a moment, deciding to actually put on pajamas tonight. I usually slept nude, but that's not something you do with your brother's best friend in your guest room, unless you happen to be sleeping with him. And while I definitely want to, I'm not at the moment.
So I sat up and climbed out of my bed to gather clothes and plunk them on my bed before I headed for my bathroom to hop in the shower. Dancing was a sweaty business to be in, after all, and I had always preferred to not to wake up smelling like it.
I enjoyed showers. Feeling clean could be quite a luxury sometimes. I'd grown up poor enough I'd gotten used to cold showers or often forgoing them all together, so now I turn up the heat as hot as I can stand it and I take around two or three a day. I hopped into the shower and felt the tension in my back melt away under the pounding rhythm of the massage head on the shower.
I stepped out feeling like an entirely new being and wrapped myself in a towel before heading into my room to dress for bed. I dropped the towel to the floor as I bent over pick up the first item of clothing I was going to put on.
"Hey, Kee-chan–" Ichigo started from the doorway where I'd evidently forgotten to close the door.
I turned to face him instinctively.
He went pale before blushing deeply/
I pulled the long t-shirt I'd laid out over my head and tugged the hem down as far as it would go, which was about mid-thigh. "Yes?" I asked.
He blushed harder.
I smiled. "You know, for a person who takes of his own clothes for a living, you sure blush like a virgin at the sight of a naked girl," I teased lightly. "I mean, jeez, how many times have you seen me dance, Ichi-kun?"
"But this was accidental! And, besides: you usually aren't completely naked when you strip. Are you going to tell me you wouldn't blush upon unexpectedly stumbling on a naked person?" he asked sharply.
"Actually, I don't. The only thing I really blush if stumble upon it is sex, dear." I gave him a weak smile. "Sorry about leaving my door open, though. I'm so used to living alone that I don't even think about it. You're lucky I even thought about wearing pajamas, Ichi-kun. I mean, I don't, usually."
His blush revived itself at my careless comment. "Y-you mean you u-usually sleep nude?" he asked, only faltering twice but staring at the floor.
"Yeah. I'm used to being alone, and I happen to be very comfortable with my own nudity." I chuckled. "And I'm making this worse, aren't I? See when I get tired, anything and everything I think seems to roll off my tongue without even checking in with my brain." I crossed the room and gave him a hug and a kiss. "Get some sleep, Ichi-kun."
He reluctantly wrapped his arms around me and returned the hug. "Sorry," he apologized. "It's just weird knowing that you have nothing on beneath that," he finished, a blush still staining his cheeks.
I ruffled his hair and laughed. "See, I like that you can still blush when confronted by a naked woman," I returned, brushing a kiss across his lips without a single thought.
He blushed even harder and kissed my forehead like my father often had. "Good night, Kee-chan."
"Sweet dreams," I told him, drawing back, putting some distance between us to I wouldn't do something else I may regret later.
He blushed and mumbled something about dreams before starting back toward his room.
I laid down on my bed and didn't put on any other clothes as I notices his scent clung to my sleep-shirt. I smile and set my alarm clock before falling asleep with a smile for the first time in weeks.
I couldn't believe I'd given him a butterfly kiss.
The only people who'd ever received that from me were family: my father, his lover, my mother, and my brother. I'd never given one to a lover, let alone someone was I was simply interested in. I placed a strange value on traditions that I did only with my family, and I did not do them with or for anyone who was outside of that family unit, as untraditional as it might be.
I sighed and lay down on the bed for a moment, deciding to actually put on pajamas tonight. I usually slept nude, but that's not something you do with your brother's best friend in your guest room, unless you happen to be sleeping with him. And while I definitely want to, I'm not at the moment.
So I sat up and climbed out of my bed to gather clothes and plunk them on my bed before I headed for my bathroom to hop in the shower. Dancing was a sweaty business to be in, after all, and I had always preferred to not to wake up smelling like it.
I enjoyed showers. Feeling clean could be quite a luxury sometimes. I'd grown up poor enough I'd gotten used to cold showers or often forgoing them all together, so now I turn up the heat as hot as I can stand it and I take around two or three a day. I hopped into the shower and felt the tension in my back melt away under the pounding rhythm of the massage head on the shower.
I stepped out feeling like an entirely new being and wrapped myself in a towel before heading into my room to dress for bed. I dropped the towel to the floor as I bent over pick up the first item of clothing I was going to put on.
"Hey, Kee-chan–" Ichigo started from the doorway where I'd evidently forgotten to close the door.
I turned to face him instinctively.
He went pale before blushing deeply/
I pulled the long t-shirt I'd laid out over my head and tugged the hem down as far as it would go, which was about mid-thigh. "Yes?" I asked.
He blushed harder.
I smiled. "You know, for a person who takes of his own clothes for a living, you sure blush like a virgin at the sight of a naked girl," I teased lightly. "I mean, jeez, how many times have you seen me dance, Ichi-kun?"
"But this was accidental! And, besides: you usually aren't completely naked when you strip. Are you going to tell me you wouldn't blush upon unexpectedly stumbling on a naked person?" he asked sharply.
"Actually, I don't. The only thing I really blush if stumble upon it is sex, dear." I gave him a weak smile. "Sorry about leaving my door open, though. I'm so used to living alone that I don't even think about it. You're lucky I even thought about wearing pajamas, Ichi-kun. I mean, I don't, usually."
His blush revived itself at my careless comment. "Y-you mean you u-usually sleep nude?" he asked, only faltering twice but staring at the floor.
"Yeah. I'm used to being alone, and I happen to be very comfortable with my own nudity." I chuckled. "And I'm making this worse, aren't I? See when I get tired, anything and everything I think seems to roll off my tongue without even checking in with my brain." I crossed the room and gave him a hug and a kiss. "Get some sleep, Ichi-kun."
He reluctantly wrapped his arms around me and returned the hug. "Sorry," he apologized. "It's just weird knowing that you have nothing on beneath that," he finished, a blush still staining his cheeks.
I ruffled his hair and laughed. "See, I like that you can still blush when confronted by a naked woman," I returned, brushing a kiss across his lips without a single thought.
He blushed even harder and kissed my forehead like my father often had. "Good night, Kee-chan."
"Sweet dreams," I told him, drawing back, putting some distance between us to I wouldn't do something else I may regret later.
He blushed and mumbled something about dreams before starting back toward his room.
I laid down on my bed and didn't put on any other clothes as I notices his scent clung to my sleep-shirt. I smile and set my alarm clock before falling asleep with a smile for the first time in weeks.