Chapter Seven:
All written works displayed are (C) K.E. Wright.
Ichigo:
He was the crown prince.
He was the fucking Kōketsuna Prince!
Fucking Renji, that bastard! Couldn't he have warned me that I was his birthday present to the Hope of Nigotta?
Thankful for the manners my mother had so deeply ingrained in me, I at least knew what to do in this situation. I bowed deeply at the waist, my back parallel to the floor. "Happy birthday, your highness," I greeted warmly, carefully averting my gaze for fear of one of the most powerful people in the country seeing me blush.
Merciful gods, the prince was utterly gorgeous! I'd heard many rumors to that extent, but I'd gotten a chance to study him up close when he'd been looking me over. He was so…lovely! Moon-pale skin I couldn't help but want to mark and shiny onyx hair that I couldn't quite judge the length of were two of the most blatant aspects of his beauty. He was also lean and a certain amount of muscle was visibly apparent. I got the feeling that the prince was forever poised, prepared for any sort of attack.
Ah, but it was those eyes that really got me. The prince's age was common knowledge, but there was something about those steel-gray eyes that made him seem so much older than 18. Almost as though he had lived twice that time in only those years.
"I see that an introduction isn't necessary." Renji chuckled.
"Perhaps you should make one, anyway, Renji," the prince told him pointedly. Still, his voice was warm, smooth, soothing. I couldn't understand why anyone would say that the prince could freeze one's blood with a single word –though that was probably mostly related to the fact that his voice seemed to be on a mission to turn me into a melted puddle of lust. "Won't you rise?" he inquired softly.
I did as I was bid, rising to a stiff posture that my mother had always insisted was suitable for the highest of the noble classes. Stubbornly, I kept my gaze on everything but the bed and that beautiful face, instinctively knowing that if I managed to meet those eyes, I would turn as red as Renj's crimson mane.
Renji inclined his head at his own orders. "Berry-chan, this is Kuchiki Byakuya, the Kōketsuna Prince, the crown prince of Nigotta," he intoned, gesturing to the prince with his hands. "Prince Byakuya, this is the ever delectable Strawberry, a good friend of mine."
The prince inclined his head, acknowledging the introductions. Meanwhile, I prayed strenuously that the heat I felt on my face was in no way visible to my guest.
Renji wore a satisfied smirk. "Alright. You two kids enjoy yourselves. Don't do anything I wouldn't do," he added, winking at the prince.
And with that, the annoying red-headed man that had set me up for the biggest surprise I had ever suffered in my life hurried out the door. At least he managed to remember to close it behind him.
The prince gave me a tender lilting smile. "I take it Renji didn't tell you who you'd be receiving."
"No, he didn't. I even asked him specifically, but he told me it would ruin the surprise," I returned wryly. "I think half of your present may have been my shock."
To my surprise, the prince chuckled. "It's not the usual reaction that people have when they meet me, no. It was rather refreshing."
I couldn't help but smile at that. Silently, I directed him to the low table where we would take our tea. Since the prince was obviously well-versed in the customary etiquette, he waited until I reached my seat and sat down before me. I sat down, as well. "Tea, your highness?" I inquired.
"Tea would be wonderful, actually, but it would also be wonderful if you would simply call me Byakuya."
For one moment, I somehow scrounged up the daring to look into those eyes. The tenderness I saw there was surprising –and shockingly welcome. Something inside of me seemed hungry for the tenderness in that gaze. "A-alright," I returned, pouring the tea into his cup and handing it to him.
Fucking hell. This was the crown prince. Though my family had fallen from favor, my clan was still quite active in Nigotta's politics. Not to mention the fact that one of my cousins had been hand-selected by this prince to watch over his younger sister. There was no way in hell that 'Strawberry' would survive this encounter, not without reverting to my true name, my true nature. I wondered how he would feel to find out that I wasn't a commoner at all –instead, I was a fallen noble, torn between two nations' parentage.
Yet for all I should have run screaming from the room, I continued. Pouring my own tea, I lifted the cup to my lips and drank a small sip, watching him over the edge of my tea cup and pondering if I would give my virginity over the this man with no regrets. Surprisingly, I had no trouble with the notion.
The prince was drinking his tea and watching me as well, and a small smile crossed his lips when he realized I was reciprocating the action.
When we both had drained out first cup of tea without speaking a single word, I released a loud sigh and poured more tea for each of us. "I know this is a little unconventional, … Byakuya, but can I ask what you intend this evening to end in? Renji said that odds were you would simply want to talk, but I feel the need to ask before this goes any further."
He blinked, perhaps a little surprised by my forwardness. "Well, so far, I would simply like a chance to get to know you…"
"Berry-chan," I inserted. "My friends call me Berry-chan."
A smiled crossed his lips. "Berry-chan, then. It might change at some point, but I'd really like a chance to get to know you."
There was something about that smile that made me helplessly return it. "Well, I don't know about you, but the awkward silence is… well, awkward. So, how about we try a little question game? I'll ask a question, you'll answer it. Then you get to ask a question and I'll answer it. It might help break the ice some."
"Would you like to begin, Berry-chan?"
I pondered it for a moment. "Do you know what everyone calls you? Well, mostly the commoners…"
A pensive look crossed his face briefly. "No, I don't. Would you tell me?"
"Sure," I told him, "but that won't count as your question. We call you the Hope of Nigotta. I think most of us are patiently awaiting your rule."
That took him a moment to absorb. "I hope I can live up to that," he murmured. "If you don't want to answer this, fell free to tell me to ask something else. When that young woman greeted me, she told me to be gentle, that you were 'a bit shy'. Evidently, there was a meaning I didn't get there. Will you explain?"
I was absolutely certain I blushed. "What Nemu meant was that I'm a virgin. It's a common thing to say to warn a customer of that."
It was the prince's turn to blush. "Oh," was all he said, but I got the feeling he was holding something back.
"Why is it that you and Princess Rukia never seem to leave the palace?" I asked, hoping to move the topic to something less personal.
"The last time I left the palace, I was 13. When I returned, I was married. My parents expressed their displeasure with my marriage by forbidding Rukia and myself to leave the palace without supervision." He studied my face for a moment. "How long have you known Renji?"
"Half a year, at most. I've only been working here for around seven months, and Renji met me through another of the men that work here –Shuei." My curiosity was perked by the rose pinned to his chest. It was familiar to me, like something my mother had grown in her garden, so I couldn't help but ask about it. "May I ask about the origins of that rose?"
He smiled slightly. "My wife Hisana found this variety in Kōsei and brought a start home to me. She was forever looking for new varieties to add to my garden." After a brief pause, he asked, "How old are you, Berry-chan?"
I wondered if the answer would surprise him. "I'm nineteen."
One elegant brow arched. "Isn't that rather young to be working in this sort of… establishment?"
"Yeah, it is, but I have never looked my age. I've been working in one brothel or another since I was thirteen."
"The age of consent is fifteen."
"In some places, that doesn't matter. And I needed the money." I eyed him. He'd ask a few really personal things, so I figured I could go there, too. "Renji told me you were a virgin. True or false, Byakuya?"
He laughed ruefully, whether at my swift change of topic or my question. "True, Berry-chan. What else did Renji tell you about me?"
I reached into my pocket, strangely glad that I'd brought the note with me tonight. "This is pretty much all he told me," I offered, holding the folded paper out to him.
Gingerly, he lifted the paper and unfolded it. When he read the contents, his face remained impassive but some bright color rose to his ears.
"Does anyone know you're out of the palace tonight, Byakuya?" I inquired.
"Only three people: Renji, who snuck me out; Rukia, who is still stuck at the celebration; and Shiba Kaien, who is to aid in my return."
I felt as though a rock hit the pit of my stomach when he said my cousin's name. Fucking hell, I had just been enjoying my conversation with him. Now all I felt was a desperate need to throw up.
"Where is your family? That is, assuming you're not an orphan." He tilted his head, obviously interested in my answer.
I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself. "My mother died when I was nine. My father lives out near the border of Kōsei, and my two younger sisters look after him." I studied his face for a moment. "Why did you come with Renji tonight?"
"He seemed determined that I meet you. Also, those parties are always horrible, and this gave me something special to look forward to." He fell silent, but a blush rose to his cheeks as he asked his next question. "You've been working in brothels for six years, but you're a virgin. What is it that you do here?"
I chuckled at his delicate way of asking. "I'm a one trick pony, really. I apparently give the best blowjobs in the entire Red Light District." I got the sheer joy of watching his blush deepen in color. "So how do you feel about your parents' rule?"
The speed in which he composed himself was nothing short of amazing. "My parents are wasteful and selfish. It would have been much better for Nigotta if the right to rule had passed to my uncle Sōjun. Instead, Uncle Sōjun became one of my tutors and did his best to make sure I'd become a better ruler than my parents." His eyes seemed to study me and I did my best not to squirm under the attention. "Your kimono is… exquisite. Who created it?"
"Ayasegawa Yumichika. He said the entire garment was a tease." I smiled at the memories. Then, recalling what Ikkaku had said about the dark colors, I knew I had to ask him. "Doesn't Yumichicka also design clothes for you?"
He nodded. "In all honesty, I would prefer my entire wardrobe be filled out with only things he makes." He studied my smile for an instant. "Did Yumichika measure your body with his hands?"
I chuckled. "It was really surprising when he did that within minutes of meeting me. Yumi had trouble keeping his hands off of me the second time I saw him. It was really, really cute." I allowed myself a moment to ponder my next question. "How do you feel about your younger sister?"
"She can be unbearably sweet at times. I love spending time with her." There was a solid beat of silence before he spoke again. "What about you? How do you feel about your sisters?"
"Yuzu and Karin are a handful and a half, but they're great. They're twins, but you wouldn't be able to guess that from their personalities." I took a breath. "They're the reason I'm working, but none of my family know how I make my living." I pursed my lips thoughtfully. "Were you surprised when Renji brought you here tonight?"
"A bit. I feel like I shouldn't have been. He's the only one of my friends who would even think to drag me to the Red Light District, and he can be a bit of a prankster." His dark eyes seemed to look right through me. "What's your sexual preference?"
"I prefer men. Always have." I shrugged. "What about you?"
"Same, actually. Who was your first crush?"
I wondered how I could say it without revealing myself. "My father thought it important that I learn how to handle a sword when I was young. My first crush was on the man who was my instructor." I smiled. "Who was your first crush, Byakuya?"
"This will probably sound really naïve," he confessed with a blush. "I've had these dreams since I was very young. In these dreams, there's this… guy who's always there, always some unrequited unreachable love. I guess he was my first crush."
"That… is not naïve; that's unbelievably romantic," I informed him.
He blushed a little more, then cleared his throat. "May I ask why you chose the name 'Strawberry'?"
"My mother actually used to call me that. She loved strawberries. I guess it was a way to feel close to her again?" I met his gaze again with a smile. "If you're gay, why did you marry Hisana?"
"I don't know if you ever saw her. No one ever commented on it, but she looked like a slightly-older version of Rukia. Something inside of me just… needed to protect her. Failing to protect Hisana was like failing to protect Rukia." Those eyes were on me again and I shivered, praying he didn't notice. "You look a great deal like Shiba Kaien. Are you associated with the Shiba clan?"
I had to bite back hollow laughter. "No, I'm not associated with the Shibas," I informed him. Hell, it wasn't even a lie: the Shiba clan had cut all ties to my family not long after my mother died. Still, if he was asking questions like that, it wouldn't take my clever little prince long to figure the rest off it out. It would be best to distract him before he got any closer to the truth. "Have you ever been kissed, Byakuya?" I inquired softly, turning the words with a slight seductive note.
He blinked, as though attempting to assimilate to the changing topic. "Ah… I, uh, assume you mean more than chastely?"
I nodded, thinking about how cute his hesitation was.
"No, I haven't," he admitted.
I smiled slowly and leaned across the table, careful of the china. Kissing, I could manage.
His eyes widened when my lips touched his. Gently, I brushed my sealed lips against his lower lip. I brushed them against his upper lip next. With a sense of finality, I pressed my lips firmly against his. Waiting a moment, I parted my own lips to run the tip of my tongue across the seam of his lips, wondering if my little prince would open his mouth and sate my need to know how he tasted. Or perhaps it would be a matter of his own curiosity.
When he gasped slightly, I hesitated a moment. I didn't want to take advantage of the opening if it was just surprise. When he made no move to seal his lips again, I used my tongue to coax his mouth open a little more before dipping his tongue inside to swipe a little of his taste. He tasted warm and sweet, like red tea and champagne, and all I wanted was to taste more of him. Yet if I had any doubt about my little prince's curiosity, all of it was blown away the instant he touched the tip of his tongue to mine.
I wanted to grin like a fool. Using my tongue to stroke and tease his, I dipped further inside his mouth to swirl my tongue against the roof of his mouth. He made a soft inviting sound that I felt clear to my bones. Somehow, I managed to coax him into using his own tongue to explore my mouth in turn.
While I was certainly enjoying the opportunity to teach my little prince how to kiss, oxygen was one of those imperative needs that I couldn't ignore for much longer. When I pulled away, I got a chance to gaze upon his flushed cheeks, desire-glazed eyes, well-kissed mouth. My little prince looked absolutely delectable, and the sight sent a bolt of heat straight to my groin.
"Now you have," I told him softly, retreating back to my seat. I was surprised by how husky my voice was.
He blinked adorably, then registered what I'd said. "I-I guess I have, Berry-chan," he returned shakily.
Why was every little thing that my little prince did absolutely adorable? It wasn't like me to want to seduce a man that was most of a year younger than me. Nor was it like me to get strangely possessive over him since the moment I met him. Just when had I begun to refer to him as 'my little prince': before or after I kissed those lovely lips of his?
He shifted restlessly, and I couldn't help but wonder if that simple kiss had aroused my chaste little prince. "It's your question," I reminded him gently, as though that game were the only thing on my mind.
"…I don't think I can even come up with one," he admitted softly.
I couldn't smother my smile. "Well, how about if I pose another one, then?"
"That's fine."
I reached across the table, tipping his chin up so I could look into those beautiful eyes. "May I kiss you again, Byakuya?" I inquired.
He was the crown prince.
He was the fucking Kōketsuna Prince!
Fucking Renji, that bastard! Couldn't he have warned me that I was his birthday present to the Hope of Nigotta?
Thankful for the manners my mother had so deeply ingrained in me, I at least knew what to do in this situation. I bowed deeply at the waist, my back parallel to the floor. "Happy birthday, your highness," I greeted warmly, carefully averting my gaze for fear of one of the most powerful people in the country seeing me blush.
Merciful gods, the prince was utterly gorgeous! I'd heard many rumors to that extent, but I'd gotten a chance to study him up close when he'd been looking me over. He was so…lovely! Moon-pale skin I couldn't help but want to mark and shiny onyx hair that I couldn't quite judge the length of were two of the most blatant aspects of his beauty. He was also lean and a certain amount of muscle was visibly apparent. I got the feeling that the prince was forever poised, prepared for any sort of attack.
Ah, but it was those eyes that really got me. The prince's age was common knowledge, but there was something about those steel-gray eyes that made him seem so much older than 18. Almost as though he had lived twice that time in only those years.
"I see that an introduction isn't necessary." Renji chuckled.
"Perhaps you should make one, anyway, Renji," the prince told him pointedly. Still, his voice was warm, smooth, soothing. I couldn't understand why anyone would say that the prince could freeze one's blood with a single word –though that was probably mostly related to the fact that his voice seemed to be on a mission to turn me into a melted puddle of lust. "Won't you rise?" he inquired softly.
I did as I was bid, rising to a stiff posture that my mother had always insisted was suitable for the highest of the noble classes. Stubbornly, I kept my gaze on everything but the bed and that beautiful face, instinctively knowing that if I managed to meet those eyes, I would turn as red as Renj's crimson mane.
Renji inclined his head at his own orders. "Berry-chan, this is Kuchiki Byakuya, the Kōketsuna Prince, the crown prince of Nigotta," he intoned, gesturing to the prince with his hands. "Prince Byakuya, this is the ever delectable Strawberry, a good friend of mine."
The prince inclined his head, acknowledging the introductions. Meanwhile, I prayed strenuously that the heat I felt on my face was in no way visible to my guest.
Renji wore a satisfied smirk. "Alright. You two kids enjoy yourselves. Don't do anything I wouldn't do," he added, winking at the prince.
And with that, the annoying red-headed man that had set me up for the biggest surprise I had ever suffered in my life hurried out the door. At least he managed to remember to close it behind him.
The prince gave me a tender lilting smile. "I take it Renji didn't tell you who you'd be receiving."
"No, he didn't. I even asked him specifically, but he told me it would ruin the surprise," I returned wryly. "I think half of your present may have been my shock."
To my surprise, the prince chuckled. "It's not the usual reaction that people have when they meet me, no. It was rather refreshing."
I couldn't help but smile at that. Silently, I directed him to the low table where we would take our tea. Since the prince was obviously well-versed in the customary etiquette, he waited until I reached my seat and sat down before me. I sat down, as well. "Tea, your highness?" I inquired.
"Tea would be wonderful, actually, but it would also be wonderful if you would simply call me Byakuya."
For one moment, I somehow scrounged up the daring to look into those eyes. The tenderness I saw there was surprising –and shockingly welcome. Something inside of me seemed hungry for the tenderness in that gaze. "A-alright," I returned, pouring the tea into his cup and handing it to him.
Fucking hell. This was the crown prince. Though my family had fallen from favor, my clan was still quite active in Nigotta's politics. Not to mention the fact that one of my cousins had been hand-selected by this prince to watch over his younger sister. There was no way in hell that 'Strawberry' would survive this encounter, not without reverting to my true name, my true nature. I wondered how he would feel to find out that I wasn't a commoner at all –instead, I was a fallen noble, torn between two nations' parentage.
Yet for all I should have run screaming from the room, I continued. Pouring my own tea, I lifted the cup to my lips and drank a small sip, watching him over the edge of my tea cup and pondering if I would give my virginity over the this man with no regrets. Surprisingly, I had no trouble with the notion.
The prince was drinking his tea and watching me as well, and a small smile crossed his lips when he realized I was reciprocating the action.
When we both had drained out first cup of tea without speaking a single word, I released a loud sigh and poured more tea for each of us. "I know this is a little unconventional, … Byakuya, but can I ask what you intend this evening to end in? Renji said that odds were you would simply want to talk, but I feel the need to ask before this goes any further."
He blinked, perhaps a little surprised by my forwardness. "Well, so far, I would simply like a chance to get to know you…"
"Berry-chan," I inserted. "My friends call me Berry-chan."
A smiled crossed his lips. "Berry-chan, then. It might change at some point, but I'd really like a chance to get to know you."
There was something about that smile that made me helplessly return it. "Well, I don't know about you, but the awkward silence is… well, awkward. So, how about we try a little question game? I'll ask a question, you'll answer it. Then you get to ask a question and I'll answer it. It might help break the ice some."
"Would you like to begin, Berry-chan?"
I pondered it for a moment. "Do you know what everyone calls you? Well, mostly the commoners…"
A pensive look crossed his face briefly. "No, I don't. Would you tell me?"
"Sure," I told him, "but that won't count as your question. We call you the Hope of Nigotta. I think most of us are patiently awaiting your rule."
That took him a moment to absorb. "I hope I can live up to that," he murmured. "If you don't want to answer this, fell free to tell me to ask something else. When that young woman greeted me, she told me to be gentle, that you were 'a bit shy'. Evidently, there was a meaning I didn't get there. Will you explain?"
I was absolutely certain I blushed. "What Nemu meant was that I'm a virgin. It's a common thing to say to warn a customer of that."
It was the prince's turn to blush. "Oh," was all he said, but I got the feeling he was holding something back.
"Why is it that you and Princess Rukia never seem to leave the palace?" I asked, hoping to move the topic to something less personal.
"The last time I left the palace, I was 13. When I returned, I was married. My parents expressed their displeasure with my marriage by forbidding Rukia and myself to leave the palace without supervision." He studied my face for a moment. "How long have you known Renji?"
"Half a year, at most. I've only been working here for around seven months, and Renji met me through another of the men that work here –Shuei." My curiosity was perked by the rose pinned to his chest. It was familiar to me, like something my mother had grown in her garden, so I couldn't help but ask about it. "May I ask about the origins of that rose?"
He smiled slightly. "My wife Hisana found this variety in Kōsei and brought a start home to me. She was forever looking for new varieties to add to my garden." After a brief pause, he asked, "How old are you, Berry-chan?"
I wondered if the answer would surprise him. "I'm nineteen."
One elegant brow arched. "Isn't that rather young to be working in this sort of… establishment?"
"Yeah, it is, but I have never looked my age. I've been working in one brothel or another since I was thirteen."
"The age of consent is fifteen."
"In some places, that doesn't matter. And I needed the money." I eyed him. He'd ask a few really personal things, so I figured I could go there, too. "Renji told me you were a virgin. True or false, Byakuya?"
He laughed ruefully, whether at my swift change of topic or my question. "True, Berry-chan. What else did Renji tell you about me?"
I reached into my pocket, strangely glad that I'd brought the note with me tonight. "This is pretty much all he told me," I offered, holding the folded paper out to him.
Gingerly, he lifted the paper and unfolded it. When he read the contents, his face remained impassive but some bright color rose to his ears.
"Does anyone know you're out of the palace tonight, Byakuya?" I inquired.
"Only three people: Renji, who snuck me out; Rukia, who is still stuck at the celebration; and Shiba Kaien, who is to aid in my return."
I felt as though a rock hit the pit of my stomach when he said my cousin's name. Fucking hell, I had just been enjoying my conversation with him. Now all I felt was a desperate need to throw up.
"Where is your family? That is, assuming you're not an orphan." He tilted his head, obviously interested in my answer.
I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself. "My mother died when I was nine. My father lives out near the border of Kōsei, and my two younger sisters look after him." I studied his face for a moment. "Why did you come with Renji tonight?"
"He seemed determined that I meet you. Also, those parties are always horrible, and this gave me something special to look forward to." He fell silent, but a blush rose to his cheeks as he asked his next question. "You've been working in brothels for six years, but you're a virgin. What is it that you do here?"
I chuckled at his delicate way of asking. "I'm a one trick pony, really. I apparently give the best blowjobs in the entire Red Light District." I got the sheer joy of watching his blush deepen in color. "So how do you feel about your parents' rule?"
The speed in which he composed himself was nothing short of amazing. "My parents are wasteful and selfish. It would have been much better for Nigotta if the right to rule had passed to my uncle Sōjun. Instead, Uncle Sōjun became one of my tutors and did his best to make sure I'd become a better ruler than my parents." His eyes seemed to study me and I did my best not to squirm under the attention. "Your kimono is… exquisite. Who created it?"
"Ayasegawa Yumichika. He said the entire garment was a tease." I smiled at the memories. Then, recalling what Ikkaku had said about the dark colors, I knew I had to ask him. "Doesn't Yumichicka also design clothes for you?"
He nodded. "In all honesty, I would prefer my entire wardrobe be filled out with only things he makes." He studied my smile for an instant. "Did Yumichika measure your body with his hands?"
I chuckled. "It was really surprising when he did that within minutes of meeting me. Yumi had trouble keeping his hands off of me the second time I saw him. It was really, really cute." I allowed myself a moment to ponder my next question. "How do you feel about your younger sister?"
"She can be unbearably sweet at times. I love spending time with her." There was a solid beat of silence before he spoke again. "What about you? How do you feel about your sisters?"
"Yuzu and Karin are a handful and a half, but they're great. They're twins, but you wouldn't be able to guess that from their personalities." I took a breath. "They're the reason I'm working, but none of my family know how I make my living." I pursed my lips thoughtfully. "Were you surprised when Renji brought you here tonight?"
"A bit. I feel like I shouldn't have been. He's the only one of my friends who would even think to drag me to the Red Light District, and he can be a bit of a prankster." His dark eyes seemed to look right through me. "What's your sexual preference?"
"I prefer men. Always have." I shrugged. "What about you?"
"Same, actually. Who was your first crush?"
I wondered how I could say it without revealing myself. "My father thought it important that I learn how to handle a sword when I was young. My first crush was on the man who was my instructor." I smiled. "Who was your first crush, Byakuya?"
"This will probably sound really naïve," he confessed with a blush. "I've had these dreams since I was very young. In these dreams, there's this… guy who's always there, always some unrequited unreachable love. I guess he was my first crush."
"That… is not naïve; that's unbelievably romantic," I informed him.
He blushed a little more, then cleared his throat. "May I ask why you chose the name 'Strawberry'?"
"My mother actually used to call me that. She loved strawberries. I guess it was a way to feel close to her again?" I met his gaze again with a smile. "If you're gay, why did you marry Hisana?"
"I don't know if you ever saw her. No one ever commented on it, but she looked like a slightly-older version of Rukia. Something inside of me just… needed to protect her. Failing to protect Hisana was like failing to protect Rukia." Those eyes were on me again and I shivered, praying he didn't notice. "You look a great deal like Shiba Kaien. Are you associated with the Shiba clan?"
I had to bite back hollow laughter. "No, I'm not associated with the Shibas," I informed him. Hell, it wasn't even a lie: the Shiba clan had cut all ties to my family not long after my mother died. Still, if he was asking questions like that, it wouldn't take my clever little prince long to figure the rest off it out. It would be best to distract him before he got any closer to the truth. "Have you ever been kissed, Byakuya?" I inquired softly, turning the words with a slight seductive note.
He blinked, as though attempting to assimilate to the changing topic. "Ah… I, uh, assume you mean more than chastely?"
I nodded, thinking about how cute his hesitation was.
"No, I haven't," he admitted.
I smiled slowly and leaned across the table, careful of the china. Kissing, I could manage.
His eyes widened when my lips touched his. Gently, I brushed my sealed lips against his lower lip. I brushed them against his upper lip next. With a sense of finality, I pressed my lips firmly against his. Waiting a moment, I parted my own lips to run the tip of my tongue across the seam of his lips, wondering if my little prince would open his mouth and sate my need to know how he tasted. Or perhaps it would be a matter of his own curiosity.
When he gasped slightly, I hesitated a moment. I didn't want to take advantage of the opening if it was just surprise. When he made no move to seal his lips again, I used my tongue to coax his mouth open a little more before dipping his tongue inside to swipe a little of his taste. He tasted warm and sweet, like red tea and champagne, and all I wanted was to taste more of him. Yet if I had any doubt about my little prince's curiosity, all of it was blown away the instant he touched the tip of his tongue to mine.
I wanted to grin like a fool. Using my tongue to stroke and tease his, I dipped further inside his mouth to swirl my tongue against the roof of his mouth. He made a soft inviting sound that I felt clear to my bones. Somehow, I managed to coax him into using his own tongue to explore my mouth in turn.
While I was certainly enjoying the opportunity to teach my little prince how to kiss, oxygen was one of those imperative needs that I couldn't ignore for much longer. When I pulled away, I got a chance to gaze upon his flushed cheeks, desire-glazed eyes, well-kissed mouth. My little prince looked absolutely delectable, and the sight sent a bolt of heat straight to my groin.
"Now you have," I told him softly, retreating back to my seat. I was surprised by how husky my voice was.
He blinked adorably, then registered what I'd said. "I-I guess I have, Berry-chan," he returned shakily.
Why was every little thing that my little prince did absolutely adorable? It wasn't like me to want to seduce a man that was most of a year younger than me. Nor was it like me to get strangely possessive over him since the moment I met him. Just when had I begun to refer to him as 'my little prince': before or after I kissed those lovely lips of his?
He shifted restlessly, and I couldn't help but wonder if that simple kiss had aroused my chaste little prince. "It's your question," I reminded him gently, as though that game were the only thing on my mind.
"…I don't think I can even come up with one," he admitted softly.
I couldn't smother my smile. "Well, how about if I pose another one, then?"
"That's fine."
I reached across the table, tipping his chin up so I could look into those beautiful eyes. "May I kiss you again, Byakuya?" I inquired.
Byakuya:
It wasn't fair that this man could steal my breath so easily with one little kiss.
I don't know who I thought I was kidding: he did a hell of a lot more that steal my breath. He scrambled my brains, tasted like strawberries, kissed like the devil, and made me hard with one stupid kiss. Life was definitely not fair, since he didn't even seem to be breathing hard and I couldn't even form a coherent thought!
But when he asked if he could kiss me again… oh, I knew I was positively doomed. This man was going to rule me, and I was going to love it. I was too far gone to even deny that.
So in response, I nodded slowly against the hand that was cupping my chin. His wide smile was a thing of beauty.
I watched him stand and reach for my hands. Tenderly, he helped me up before leading me to the piece of furniture that had dominated my thoughts since I'd entered the room: the four-poster bed. I blushed more for this man than I ever had in my life.
He seated us both on the edge of the bed and smiled at me again. I met those whiskey eyes and found myself incredibly relieved when I realized I wasn't the only one feeling the heat. The heat reflected in his eyes would have been enough to scorch my pale skin, just like the sunshine always did.
This time, when he leaned forward, he pressed his lips to the corner of my mouth. It was butterfly soft, but I felt it down to my toes. A soft gasp escaped me, and he took the opening to press an open-mouthed kiss to my mouth. Gently, he sucked my lower lip into his mouth and I couldn't help the moan that escaped me. I could feel his lips quirk into a smile, obviously pleased with my reaction. Desperate to do something more than be kissed by this remarkable man, I reached out with one hand and stroked his upper arm.
One of his hands slipped up behind me. I felt my hair fall when he removed my prized hair-stick, but honest to god, I didn't give a damn where the thing had ended up when his hand threaded into my hair. He pulled me closer, bridging most of the physical distance between us with a single, decisive action.
Feeling the need to bridge the distance on another front as well, I flicked my tongue out against his, wondering how he would react. When he released a soft pleased sound, I flushed with pleasure and twined my arms around him to pull him even closer. He titled my head slightly and advanced, sliding his own slick tongue into my mouth.
If I were honest, the concept of a French kiss had always seemed somehow gross to me. I hadn't understood what was so intimate about sliding a tongue against another slick tongue, tracing teeth and learning the inside of someone else's mouth like you knew your own. I hadn't understood how there could be pleasure and intimacy. If I were truly honest, perhaps it had something to do with how innocent I was and, in equal measure, what I'd watched oblivious pleasure-seekers do. It seemed slick and messy and gross to me.
Yet when Berry-chan had his tongue in my mouth, I felt nothing of the revulsion that had kept me from going this far with anyone. With teasing strokes, he coaxed my tongue to dance with his at the rhythm he set. My breath was his breath as his hand held me close and the other wandered my body lazily. My hand stroked his spine as I got drunk on the taste of a sweet strawberry.
When my lungs burned for air, we separated for a moment or two –well, long enough for a needy sound to slip past my lips and embarrass the heck out of me. Yet his smile didn't feel condescending. It may have had something to do with the way his whiskey-colored eyes dilated and the way his lips seemed moist and swollen from our kisses.
I took a deep breath. "I came up with a question."
He chuckled. "Ask away, Byakuya."
Gods, the way he exhaled my name like that made me all kinds of desperate! Still, I licked my lips self-consciously. "Will you tell me your first name, Berry-chan?"
He swallowed hard. "It's Ichigo," he told me, his voice husky and rusty.
I smiled at that. It was a strong name, a good name. "Ichigo," I repeated, tasting it on my tongue.
With that new piece of knowledge, I leaned in and kissed him this time. It may have just been a chaste press of lips, but it didn't stay that way for long. This time, I demonstrated the first lessons he'd shown me: asking for entry patiently with my tongue until he yielded to me, tracing strange designs against the roof of his mouth, tasting his tongue. Then I added my own twist, gently sucking on his tongue until the softest of pleasure noises escaped him.
He drew back and graced me with a smile. "Fast learner," he panted out, his fingers tracing delicate designs on my back.
"Good teacher," I returned, out of breath as well as I traced the curve of his spine again.
He laughed lightly and kissed me again, this time with unleashed passion. I realized he'd been holding back, afraid of scaring me, and I appreciated it. Well, at least the logical part of me appreciated it, knowing that his first kiss would have scared me to death if he'd kissed me this way. The other part of me wanted to submit and let this beautiful man do whatever he wanted to me.
I moaned out his name softly when he nipped at my lower lip and met the thrust of his tongue with my own.
He drew back, eyes a little wide before they refocused with that heady heat. He dropped kisses along my jaw line and took a moment to nip at one of my sensitive earlobe. I made a soft sound of pleasure and felt my posture change, arching my neck like it would bring me closer to his touch. The chuckle that filled the room somehow didn't make me feel as though I was being laughed at. It felt more like he was… enjoying me.
When he trailed kisses down my neck, his fingers playing along my own spine, I found that I wanted more. Slowly, I reached out and stroked the smooth skin of his chest, loving the way hard muscles tensed and flexed and trembled as I caressed them.
"Byakuya…" he panted out.
Gods, that was reason enough to never let anyone but this man say my name ever again. It sent chills down my spine and made me want that much more of him.
"Mm, Ichigo?" I responded lightly.
"I think you're a natural," he told me with a light laugh.
I arched a brow at that. "A natural, huh?"
"Well, at least with me," he amended with a chuckle.
"Well, if you're so sure about that, let me try something," I challenged him softly.
He smiled back at me, laughter dancing in his eyes. "Go ahead."
I studied him for a moment before even moving at all. Luckily for me, he was far enough up on the bed that it took only a little careful calculation on my part to situate him perfectly for what I had in mind. I pushed him back gently. He let me, that silly little smile never leaving his mouth, so I took it one step further and maneuvered his legs so that he lay on his back in the middle of the bed. I smiled down at him happily, only to find he was a mite disconcerted with this change. I kissed his lips gently, trying to reassure him a little, then covered most of his body with my own.
Watching his face, I decided to change my plans a little. Planting my knees outside his hips, I sat back and rested part of my weight on his thighs. At this new position, some of the panic left his face, and I felt better about it. Turning to the task I had in mind, I tugged gently as the parted silk that had taunted me all evening. I managed to part it far enough on either side to reveal pert caramel nipples. Apparently a little temperature sensitive, they hardened as soon as they were revealed to my hungry gaze.
Leaning forward, I traced the valley between his defined muscles all the way down to his belly-button. I traced the rim of the cute little navel before dipping my tongue in teasingly and reveling in his gasp. Still, I returned to my starting point and moved a little to the right. I nibbled on the succulent skin of his shoulder, loving the shiver that tore through his powerful body. Next, I turned my attention to the nipple I bared. Lathing it with my tongue, I drew damp circles around the tightened skin until a groan came from the man beneath me. Only then did I draw the pert bud into my mouth, sucking gently until I got another sweet noise. Remembering how much I had enjoyed him nipping on my earlobe, I closed my teeth around it and received another little noise for my trouble.
I lathed it with my tongue once more before I decided to move on. With a soft smile, I pressed chaste kisses across the breadth of his strong chest and took pleasure in the shallow breaths that increased in rapidity the closer I got to his other nipple.
"Gods… Byakuya…" he murmured.
I wanted to grin. Instead, I dropped a kiss on his other nipple before repeating the same treatment I had given the first one. His noises were more frequent, more driving, so when I completed my treatment of the second nipple, I dropped kisses from his nipple down to his trembling stomach. Then I quit pretending I had any such thing as a plan. I placed scorching wet kisses all over the warm expanse of his chest until his hips began to shift restlessly against me.
Surprisingly, I had a good idea as to why. Perhaps because those sweet little noises of his were driving me mad and I had felt my own arousal grow heavier each time I did something he liked. I drew back slowly and he made a slightly keening sound in protest.
"Fucking hell, I think that goes beyond sheer natural talent," he groaned, making me feel as though I'd been torturing him. He had liked it, though, so that made it some sort of pleasure-torture, right?
I just smiled down at him, immensely pleased with myself.
I was a little surprised when he moved suddenly and I found myself pinned beneath that strong body that I had just been worshiping with my mouth. A small noise escaped me, and all I got in return was that haunting, taunting smile. Instead of going straight for my chest, the way I had with him, he focused in on my neck. Sweet wet kisses covered the skin and I wanted to beg for more. When he nipped the column of my neck, a low moan curled out of somewhere deep within me. He kissed down my collarbone, hands fumbling with the silken kimono until he could part it far enough to access more of the skin.
My hands lifted of their own accord, yanking the two hair-sticks out of beautiful strawberry-blond hair so it could fall about his face and whisper across my chest. When he gave attention to one of my nipples, the fingers of one of my hands laced deeply into his thick hair as a noise snuck past my unguarded lips.
"Ichigo!" I panted out as he suckled on the tender skin.
He moved to the other, repeating his ritual until I wanted to beg. He planted kisses down the center of my chest, following the line of dark hair that led further into uncharted waters. When he drew back and met my eyes, I about drowned in the heat I found there.
"Can I mark you, Byakuya?" he whispered, his voice low and husky.
"Sh-shoulder!" I panted out, suddenly needing him mark me. It was like something in my soul was crying out that I belonged to him and only him.
Restless hands quickly moved the kimono. His hot mouth latched onto my shoulder, and I moaned out his name like a prayer. He nipped and sucked and tongued the spot for a few moments, pulling away with a slick pop to gaze on the spot. He dropped a kiss on the skin below my ear and blew air on the damp skin. I wriggled underneath the weight of his body, unsure of what I was asking for with the simple motion.
When he drew back, his hands rested on my precisely tied obi. "Let me, Byakuya?" he asked in that husky voice.
It took my brain a few seconds to realize exactly what he was asking of me. My body screamed for release from all of the teasing, all of the touching, all of the kisses. But if I let him do that, where would the line stand? Was it his job? Was it his own desire? I had to know, before I let him do something like that. I didn't want it to be trade, a service for money. I wanted it to be him. Was that too much to ask?
"Ichigo?" I asked, my lust-fogged brain too lost to ask the whole question.
Luckily for me, it seemed I had an incredibly smart… seducer. He chuckled warmly. "Hey, I'm not in the habit of asking if it's for that, Byakuya," he told me sweetly, pressing another kiss to my sternum. "Let me?" he inquired again, his voice quiet.
"Please, Ichigo," I murmured, surprised I didn't stutter in response.
When he pulled back and looked down on me, there was a grin on his lips. When those deft hands untied my obi, I trembled, still slightly scared but mostly anticipating him. His fingers played the silk against my straining need and I moaned out his name, ever my prayer tonight.
"You sound so beautiful," he murmured, his voice so rough.
I blushed and panted.
He parted the silk carefully and looked at my arousal. I'm pretty sure I managed to invent a few new shades of red as my blush got darker and darker as he studied me.
Yet it was all worth it when he made a needy sound, himself. "Gods, must you be so fucking gorgeous everywhere?" he inquired, eyes wide and awed.
When he pressed a kiss to the tip, I let out a soft whimper. He licked the length of me once, twice, three times before he drew the tip into his mouth. It was the sweetest agony I'd ever experienced. That clever tongue probed my tip for a single instant before he took several inches into his mouth all at once. My head fell back against the mattress and I cried out in bliss, sure that there was nothing in the world that felt as good as this.
Then and only then did he begin to move. Up and down and up and down, a swipe of his tongue, increased suction. Up and down and up and down again. I was pretty sure all of my brain functions had completely ceased. My entire world was the wet heat of his mouth and my cock being teased and taunted and tortured in the most pleasurable of ways by it.
A soft cry escaped my lips when I felt the pleasure coiling tightly inside of me. Ichigo hummed around the length in his mouth and I fought the need to fall back and thrash in desperate pleasure. My hands fisted in the bed sheets and he expertly pushed me closer and closer. When he grazed me with his sharp teeth, I moaned out his name loudly, my entire body trembling with the need to release.
He increased the suction by only a tiny bit, increased his pace by a little more, and suddenly I was falling over the precipice into oblivion, my vision going entirely white in ecstasy as I came with a loud cry of "Ichigo!"
When I came back down from the incredibly pleasure he'd driven me to, I smiled as I looked at the man still hovering over me. Lacing my fingers in his hair, I gently tugged him back up until I could taste his incredible mouth once more. He seemed a little reluctant to kiss me, and that was all it took to make me recall that I had actually come in his mouth. Still, that didn't bother me, so I kissed him anyway, nibbling on his protuberant lower lip until he opened his mouth to me anyway.
Alright, so the taste of semen probably wasn't anything to write home about. The taste of that mouth, however, was worth any evils I had to endure to get it. Besides, he'd actually had me come in his mouth, so some inner caveman part of me was beating his hands against his naked chest in victory at the taste of my come in his mouth. He got a little more open with the kiss once he realized the other didn't bother me.
We separated slowly, languidly, and I thought about things a bit. While he was still off-guard, I rolled us until I sat on top of his hips once more. He blinked up at me in stunned surprise, so I kissed him once more, then trailed kisses to his ear.
"I want to make you come, Ichigo," I whispered.
Poor Ichigo choked on whatever it was he had wanted to say.
I couldn't help but smile at that. Gods, but he was adorable. Slowly, I trailed my hands down to his obi. The asymmetrical knot of the obijimé was the first to go. Then I unwrapped the wider obi, letting it fall across the bed. The silken kimono was the last to be parted. And I got my own chance to stare at a fully aroused male. The pale blond curls at the apex of his thighs begged to have fingers threaded through them, and I did thusly for a moment before looking up to meet those lusty whiskey eyes. Gods, but I could get drunk just looking at them!
I knew I lacked the confidence to suck him, as he had me. Fortunately, I had a lot more experience with my hands than my mouth, even if it was a little… personal. Yet I felt the need to explore him a little more before I got down to business. Tentatively, I trailed my fingers across the sensitive skin. He moaned softly, eyes falling closed for a moment before he forced them open again. I stroked the soft skin again, this time a bit more confidently. He made another sweet sound, encouraging me to get down to the business of things.
I wrapped my hand around his member gently, moving my hand slowly around his arousal. The keening sound he made seemed to beg for more. A little less afraid of hurting him, I tightened my grip a little and found a rapid rhythm, throwing in a twist of my wrist here and there to make things interesting. I got to watch my pretty little Ichigo come completely unglued, his toes moving against the air for purchase, his leg muscles clenching and unclenching. Lurid sounds poured past those perfect lips and if I wasn't still so spent from the last time, I was certain my cock would be standing up at full attention.
"Bya…kuya…" he panted out in warning.
I kicked up my pace a little, watching his hips move into the motion of my hand. Remembering the pleasure from when he'd pressed his tongue against my slit, I applied a gentle pressure with one finger. He bucked into it, crying out my name when he found that pinnacle of pleasurable agony.
I didn't particularly care that he had come all over my bare thighs and even managed to splash up on my chest. I was happy to have given him these moments of pleasure.
When he recovered, his cheeks were the color of over-ripe strawberries, and I leaned up to kiss him with a laughing smile. "You're beautiful, Ichigo," I told him softly, muttering the words against his lips.
I hadn't thought about it earlier, but as I cuddled against that beautiful body and kissed those lush lips, my mind churned over other troubles back at the palace. Having another body working security detail would increase my chances of making it to my next birthday, and it could get this beautiful man out of this brothel. I wondered if he'd accept my offer. I pressed a series of kisses against his shoulder and watched a smile light up his face. Like a flower needs the sunshine, I needed this man near me, so I had to ask.
"Ichigo?" I murmured.
"Hmm?"
"If I asked you to live in the palace with me, would you?" I inquired, still dancing around what I wanted to ask.
"Mm," he remarked lazily. "As what? The consort?"
"That would make about as good of cover as any, actually," I remarked, surprised I hadn't thought of it. "Actually, I was thinking more like… personal security to the prince."
He propped his head up on one hand and looked at me. "How serious are you about this, Byakuya? I mean, you hardly know me."
"Perhaps that's best when it comes to this. Most of the people I really know want to kill me," I remarked dryly.
Wide eyes peered back at me. "Tell me you're kidding," he demanded.
"I can't. Squabbling nobles that still want the throne and sometimes my own parents want little more than a dead crown prince." I shook my head. "I know it sounds horrible, but throwing a player they can't predict into the mix will stump them for a bit."
"And you want me to be that new player?"
I smiled at him. "You're utterly gorgeous, eye-catching, and competent. The rest of the skills I need you to have can be taught fairly easily."
He seemed a little torn. "What about… this?" he inquired, gesturing at the air between the two of us.
"That's why you'll be an incredibly impressive consort. You don't have to do the duties of the consort; sleeping in my bed would probably be enough. And it will give us time to… explore this." I kissed his chest lightly.
He shivered. "You know, my boss did tell me I could not say no to you," he whispered softly. "I bet he had no idea how right he was."
With a smile, I kissed his lips. Things would certainly get… interesting from here on in.
It wasn't fair that this man could steal my breath so easily with one little kiss.
I don't know who I thought I was kidding: he did a hell of a lot more that steal my breath. He scrambled my brains, tasted like strawberries, kissed like the devil, and made me hard with one stupid kiss. Life was definitely not fair, since he didn't even seem to be breathing hard and I couldn't even form a coherent thought!
But when he asked if he could kiss me again… oh, I knew I was positively doomed. This man was going to rule me, and I was going to love it. I was too far gone to even deny that.
So in response, I nodded slowly against the hand that was cupping my chin. His wide smile was a thing of beauty.
I watched him stand and reach for my hands. Tenderly, he helped me up before leading me to the piece of furniture that had dominated my thoughts since I'd entered the room: the four-poster bed. I blushed more for this man than I ever had in my life.
He seated us both on the edge of the bed and smiled at me again. I met those whiskey eyes and found myself incredibly relieved when I realized I wasn't the only one feeling the heat. The heat reflected in his eyes would have been enough to scorch my pale skin, just like the sunshine always did.
This time, when he leaned forward, he pressed his lips to the corner of my mouth. It was butterfly soft, but I felt it down to my toes. A soft gasp escaped me, and he took the opening to press an open-mouthed kiss to my mouth. Gently, he sucked my lower lip into his mouth and I couldn't help the moan that escaped me. I could feel his lips quirk into a smile, obviously pleased with my reaction. Desperate to do something more than be kissed by this remarkable man, I reached out with one hand and stroked his upper arm.
One of his hands slipped up behind me. I felt my hair fall when he removed my prized hair-stick, but honest to god, I didn't give a damn where the thing had ended up when his hand threaded into my hair. He pulled me closer, bridging most of the physical distance between us with a single, decisive action.
Feeling the need to bridge the distance on another front as well, I flicked my tongue out against his, wondering how he would react. When he released a soft pleased sound, I flushed with pleasure and twined my arms around him to pull him even closer. He titled my head slightly and advanced, sliding his own slick tongue into my mouth.
If I were honest, the concept of a French kiss had always seemed somehow gross to me. I hadn't understood what was so intimate about sliding a tongue against another slick tongue, tracing teeth and learning the inside of someone else's mouth like you knew your own. I hadn't understood how there could be pleasure and intimacy. If I were truly honest, perhaps it had something to do with how innocent I was and, in equal measure, what I'd watched oblivious pleasure-seekers do. It seemed slick and messy and gross to me.
Yet when Berry-chan had his tongue in my mouth, I felt nothing of the revulsion that had kept me from going this far with anyone. With teasing strokes, he coaxed my tongue to dance with his at the rhythm he set. My breath was his breath as his hand held me close and the other wandered my body lazily. My hand stroked his spine as I got drunk on the taste of a sweet strawberry.
When my lungs burned for air, we separated for a moment or two –well, long enough for a needy sound to slip past my lips and embarrass the heck out of me. Yet his smile didn't feel condescending. It may have had something to do with the way his whiskey-colored eyes dilated and the way his lips seemed moist and swollen from our kisses.
I took a deep breath. "I came up with a question."
He chuckled. "Ask away, Byakuya."
Gods, the way he exhaled my name like that made me all kinds of desperate! Still, I licked my lips self-consciously. "Will you tell me your first name, Berry-chan?"
He swallowed hard. "It's Ichigo," he told me, his voice husky and rusty.
I smiled at that. It was a strong name, a good name. "Ichigo," I repeated, tasting it on my tongue.
With that new piece of knowledge, I leaned in and kissed him this time. It may have just been a chaste press of lips, but it didn't stay that way for long. This time, I demonstrated the first lessons he'd shown me: asking for entry patiently with my tongue until he yielded to me, tracing strange designs against the roof of his mouth, tasting his tongue. Then I added my own twist, gently sucking on his tongue until the softest of pleasure noises escaped him.
He drew back and graced me with a smile. "Fast learner," he panted out, his fingers tracing delicate designs on my back.
"Good teacher," I returned, out of breath as well as I traced the curve of his spine again.
He laughed lightly and kissed me again, this time with unleashed passion. I realized he'd been holding back, afraid of scaring me, and I appreciated it. Well, at least the logical part of me appreciated it, knowing that his first kiss would have scared me to death if he'd kissed me this way. The other part of me wanted to submit and let this beautiful man do whatever he wanted to me.
I moaned out his name softly when he nipped at my lower lip and met the thrust of his tongue with my own.
He drew back, eyes a little wide before they refocused with that heady heat. He dropped kisses along my jaw line and took a moment to nip at one of my sensitive earlobe. I made a soft sound of pleasure and felt my posture change, arching my neck like it would bring me closer to his touch. The chuckle that filled the room somehow didn't make me feel as though I was being laughed at. It felt more like he was… enjoying me.
When he trailed kisses down my neck, his fingers playing along my own spine, I found that I wanted more. Slowly, I reached out and stroked the smooth skin of his chest, loving the way hard muscles tensed and flexed and trembled as I caressed them.
"Byakuya…" he panted out.
Gods, that was reason enough to never let anyone but this man say my name ever again. It sent chills down my spine and made me want that much more of him.
"Mm, Ichigo?" I responded lightly.
"I think you're a natural," he told me with a light laugh.
I arched a brow at that. "A natural, huh?"
"Well, at least with me," he amended with a chuckle.
"Well, if you're so sure about that, let me try something," I challenged him softly.
He smiled back at me, laughter dancing in his eyes. "Go ahead."
I studied him for a moment before even moving at all. Luckily for me, he was far enough up on the bed that it took only a little careful calculation on my part to situate him perfectly for what I had in mind. I pushed him back gently. He let me, that silly little smile never leaving his mouth, so I took it one step further and maneuvered his legs so that he lay on his back in the middle of the bed. I smiled down at him happily, only to find he was a mite disconcerted with this change. I kissed his lips gently, trying to reassure him a little, then covered most of his body with my own.
Watching his face, I decided to change my plans a little. Planting my knees outside his hips, I sat back and rested part of my weight on his thighs. At this new position, some of the panic left his face, and I felt better about it. Turning to the task I had in mind, I tugged gently as the parted silk that had taunted me all evening. I managed to part it far enough on either side to reveal pert caramel nipples. Apparently a little temperature sensitive, they hardened as soon as they were revealed to my hungry gaze.
Leaning forward, I traced the valley between his defined muscles all the way down to his belly-button. I traced the rim of the cute little navel before dipping my tongue in teasingly and reveling in his gasp. Still, I returned to my starting point and moved a little to the right. I nibbled on the succulent skin of his shoulder, loving the shiver that tore through his powerful body. Next, I turned my attention to the nipple I bared. Lathing it with my tongue, I drew damp circles around the tightened skin until a groan came from the man beneath me. Only then did I draw the pert bud into my mouth, sucking gently until I got another sweet noise. Remembering how much I had enjoyed him nipping on my earlobe, I closed my teeth around it and received another little noise for my trouble.
I lathed it with my tongue once more before I decided to move on. With a soft smile, I pressed chaste kisses across the breadth of his strong chest and took pleasure in the shallow breaths that increased in rapidity the closer I got to his other nipple.
"Gods… Byakuya…" he murmured.
I wanted to grin. Instead, I dropped a kiss on his other nipple before repeating the same treatment I had given the first one. His noises were more frequent, more driving, so when I completed my treatment of the second nipple, I dropped kisses from his nipple down to his trembling stomach. Then I quit pretending I had any such thing as a plan. I placed scorching wet kisses all over the warm expanse of his chest until his hips began to shift restlessly against me.
Surprisingly, I had a good idea as to why. Perhaps because those sweet little noises of his were driving me mad and I had felt my own arousal grow heavier each time I did something he liked. I drew back slowly and he made a slightly keening sound in protest.
"Fucking hell, I think that goes beyond sheer natural talent," he groaned, making me feel as though I'd been torturing him. He had liked it, though, so that made it some sort of pleasure-torture, right?
I just smiled down at him, immensely pleased with myself.
I was a little surprised when he moved suddenly and I found myself pinned beneath that strong body that I had just been worshiping with my mouth. A small noise escaped me, and all I got in return was that haunting, taunting smile. Instead of going straight for my chest, the way I had with him, he focused in on my neck. Sweet wet kisses covered the skin and I wanted to beg for more. When he nipped the column of my neck, a low moan curled out of somewhere deep within me. He kissed down my collarbone, hands fumbling with the silken kimono until he could part it far enough to access more of the skin.
My hands lifted of their own accord, yanking the two hair-sticks out of beautiful strawberry-blond hair so it could fall about his face and whisper across my chest. When he gave attention to one of my nipples, the fingers of one of my hands laced deeply into his thick hair as a noise snuck past my unguarded lips.
"Ichigo!" I panted out as he suckled on the tender skin.
He moved to the other, repeating his ritual until I wanted to beg. He planted kisses down the center of my chest, following the line of dark hair that led further into uncharted waters. When he drew back and met my eyes, I about drowned in the heat I found there.
"Can I mark you, Byakuya?" he whispered, his voice low and husky.
"Sh-shoulder!" I panted out, suddenly needing him mark me. It was like something in my soul was crying out that I belonged to him and only him.
Restless hands quickly moved the kimono. His hot mouth latched onto my shoulder, and I moaned out his name like a prayer. He nipped and sucked and tongued the spot for a few moments, pulling away with a slick pop to gaze on the spot. He dropped a kiss on the skin below my ear and blew air on the damp skin. I wriggled underneath the weight of his body, unsure of what I was asking for with the simple motion.
When he drew back, his hands rested on my precisely tied obi. "Let me, Byakuya?" he asked in that husky voice.
It took my brain a few seconds to realize exactly what he was asking of me. My body screamed for release from all of the teasing, all of the touching, all of the kisses. But if I let him do that, where would the line stand? Was it his job? Was it his own desire? I had to know, before I let him do something like that. I didn't want it to be trade, a service for money. I wanted it to be him. Was that too much to ask?
"Ichigo?" I asked, my lust-fogged brain too lost to ask the whole question.
Luckily for me, it seemed I had an incredibly smart… seducer. He chuckled warmly. "Hey, I'm not in the habit of asking if it's for that, Byakuya," he told me sweetly, pressing another kiss to my sternum. "Let me?" he inquired again, his voice quiet.
"Please, Ichigo," I murmured, surprised I didn't stutter in response.
When he pulled back and looked down on me, there was a grin on his lips. When those deft hands untied my obi, I trembled, still slightly scared but mostly anticipating him. His fingers played the silk against my straining need and I moaned out his name, ever my prayer tonight.
"You sound so beautiful," he murmured, his voice so rough.
I blushed and panted.
He parted the silk carefully and looked at my arousal. I'm pretty sure I managed to invent a few new shades of red as my blush got darker and darker as he studied me.
Yet it was all worth it when he made a needy sound, himself. "Gods, must you be so fucking gorgeous everywhere?" he inquired, eyes wide and awed.
When he pressed a kiss to the tip, I let out a soft whimper. He licked the length of me once, twice, three times before he drew the tip into his mouth. It was the sweetest agony I'd ever experienced. That clever tongue probed my tip for a single instant before he took several inches into his mouth all at once. My head fell back against the mattress and I cried out in bliss, sure that there was nothing in the world that felt as good as this.
Then and only then did he begin to move. Up and down and up and down, a swipe of his tongue, increased suction. Up and down and up and down again. I was pretty sure all of my brain functions had completely ceased. My entire world was the wet heat of his mouth and my cock being teased and taunted and tortured in the most pleasurable of ways by it.
A soft cry escaped my lips when I felt the pleasure coiling tightly inside of me. Ichigo hummed around the length in his mouth and I fought the need to fall back and thrash in desperate pleasure. My hands fisted in the bed sheets and he expertly pushed me closer and closer. When he grazed me with his sharp teeth, I moaned out his name loudly, my entire body trembling with the need to release.
He increased the suction by only a tiny bit, increased his pace by a little more, and suddenly I was falling over the precipice into oblivion, my vision going entirely white in ecstasy as I came with a loud cry of "Ichigo!"
When I came back down from the incredibly pleasure he'd driven me to, I smiled as I looked at the man still hovering over me. Lacing my fingers in his hair, I gently tugged him back up until I could taste his incredible mouth once more. He seemed a little reluctant to kiss me, and that was all it took to make me recall that I had actually come in his mouth. Still, that didn't bother me, so I kissed him anyway, nibbling on his protuberant lower lip until he opened his mouth to me anyway.
Alright, so the taste of semen probably wasn't anything to write home about. The taste of that mouth, however, was worth any evils I had to endure to get it. Besides, he'd actually had me come in his mouth, so some inner caveman part of me was beating his hands against his naked chest in victory at the taste of my come in his mouth. He got a little more open with the kiss once he realized the other didn't bother me.
We separated slowly, languidly, and I thought about things a bit. While he was still off-guard, I rolled us until I sat on top of his hips once more. He blinked up at me in stunned surprise, so I kissed him once more, then trailed kisses to his ear.
"I want to make you come, Ichigo," I whispered.
Poor Ichigo choked on whatever it was he had wanted to say.
I couldn't help but smile at that. Gods, but he was adorable. Slowly, I trailed my hands down to his obi. The asymmetrical knot of the obijimé was the first to go. Then I unwrapped the wider obi, letting it fall across the bed. The silken kimono was the last to be parted. And I got my own chance to stare at a fully aroused male. The pale blond curls at the apex of his thighs begged to have fingers threaded through them, and I did thusly for a moment before looking up to meet those lusty whiskey eyes. Gods, but I could get drunk just looking at them!
I knew I lacked the confidence to suck him, as he had me. Fortunately, I had a lot more experience with my hands than my mouth, even if it was a little… personal. Yet I felt the need to explore him a little more before I got down to business. Tentatively, I trailed my fingers across the sensitive skin. He moaned softly, eyes falling closed for a moment before he forced them open again. I stroked the soft skin again, this time a bit more confidently. He made another sweet sound, encouraging me to get down to the business of things.
I wrapped my hand around his member gently, moving my hand slowly around his arousal. The keening sound he made seemed to beg for more. A little less afraid of hurting him, I tightened my grip a little and found a rapid rhythm, throwing in a twist of my wrist here and there to make things interesting. I got to watch my pretty little Ichigo come completely unglued, his toes moving against the air for purchase, his leg muscles clenching and unclenching. Lurid sounds poured past those perfect lips and if I wasn't still so spent from the last time, I was certain my cock would be standing up at full attention.
"Bya…kuya…" he panted out in warning.
I kicked up my pace a little, watching his hips move into the motion of my hand. Remembering the pleasure from when he'd pressed his tongue against my slit, I applied a gentle pressure with one finger. He bucked into it, crying out my name when he found that pinnacle of pleasurable agony.
I didn't particularly care that he had come all over my bare thighs and even managed to splash up on my chest. I was happy to have given him these moments of pleasure.
When he recovered, his cheeks were the color of over-ripe strawberries, and I leaned up to kiss him with a laughing smile. "You're beautiful, Ichigo," I told him softly, muttering the words against his lips.
I hadn't thought about it earlier, but as I cuddled against that beautiful body and kissed those lush lips, my mind churned over other troubles back at the palace. Having another body working security detail would increase my chances of making it to my next birthday, and it could get this beautiful man out of this brothel. I wondered if he'd accept my offer. I pressed a series of kisses against his shoulder and watched a smile light up his face. Like a flower needs the sunshine, I needed this man near me, so I had to ask.
"Ichigo?" I murmured.
"Hmm?"
"If I asked you to live in the palace with me, would you?" I inquired, still dancing around what I wanted to ask.
"Mm," he remarked lazily. "As what? The consort?"
"That would make about as good of cover as any, actually," I remarked, surprised I hadn't thought of it. "Actually, I was thinking more like… personal security to the prince."
He propped his head up on one hand and looked at me. "How serious are you about this, Byakuya? I mean, you hardly know me."
"Perhaps that's best when it comes to this. Most of the people I really know want to kill me," I remarked dryly.
Wide eyes peered back at me. "Tell me you're kidding," he demanded.
"I can't. Squabbling nobles that still want the throne and sometimes my own parents want little more than a dead crown prince." I shook my head. "I know it sounds horrible, but throwing a player they can't predict into the mix will stump them for a bit."
"And you want me to be that new player?"
I smiled at him. "You're utterly gorgeous, eye-catching, and competent. The rest of the skills I need you to have can be taught fairly easily."
He seemed a little torn. "What about… this?" he inquired, gesturing at the air between the two of us.
"That's why you'll be an incredibly impressive consort. You don't have to do the duties of the consort; sleeping in my bed would probably be enough. And it will give us time to… explore this." I kissed his chest lightly.
He shivered. "You know, my boss did tell me I could not say no to you," he whispered softly. "I bet he had no idea how right he was."
With a smile, I kissed his lips. Things would certainly get… interesting from here on in.