I'M ALIIIIIIVEEEEEEEE. It's been far too long since I've even worked on my writing, so I wrote this to hold you guys over while I rewrite Tenchu: Silent Moon and work on all of the other Tenchu fanfictions that I have planned for all of you!
Rikimaru: *sitting at a table sipping tea* She's been rather occupied and lazy.
Me: It's called writer's block. =_=
Rikimaru: Whatever you say. *Begins reading the story*
Me: He's gonna faint from that...Anyway! Hope you all like it! OH and there are spoilers for Tenchu 3 in here so be warned. I do not own any of the characters but I still hope that you guy's enjoy the story!
"Bliss"
Ayame of the Azuma, known for her grace and deadly precision, heaved herself up on to her swollen feet. She swayed heavily, still unaccustomed to the extra weight she now carried in her middle. She was heavily pregnant and due any day now. The kunoichi was eager for her child's arrival- she was even more eager to be done with the near constant coddling of her surprisingly overbearing partner, Rikimaru. Ever since he had found out that she was pregnant, which was not too long after their battle with the dark sorcerer, Tenrai, he had been nearly constantly looming over her; making sure she ate well, slept well, accompanying her on walks. He nearly never left her side! She just woke from a well needed nap and was grateful to have the, also much needed, solitude.
She loved the man, she really did, but she did not think that Rikimaru of the Azuma, leader of the clan, and the man with a chronic stick up his ass could be so overprotective! She supposed, though, that his caring side is what made her fall in love with him in the first place. Stretching as much as she could without straining her already sore back, she waddled out of their room in the castle, intent on finding something to eat. She subconsciously rubbed small circles on her swollen belly as she walked down the hallway. A smile graced her lips as she remembered the night that they had conceived the little life growing within her.
~ Nine Months Ago~
They had done it. Tenrai was dead and both Azuma, though beaten and bloody, were running through the crumbling halls of the falling Temple. A terrible sense of Deja vu settled over Ayame as they dodged falling debris. Her partner was alive! She still had trouble grasping the concept. It wasn't his shadow: it was really him- And now they were running in pretty much the same scenario that she had lost him in a year before.
"You have a lot of explaining to do when we get home!" She called out to him, panting in between each word. She was just a bit behind him as they sprinted and dodged falling debris as they went. She yelped when he suddenly looped a strong arm around her waist, pulling her flush against him, and shot his grappling hook at a nearby ledge. She clung to him, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. He felt warm, real, and solid against her own flushed body and she was afraid to open her eyes. That she would awaken alone in her futon as she had done many nights before in the past year. She felt him tighten his hold on her as he pulled them to safety. Still she did not let go. She could tell that they were out of the fortress by the cool air that brushed against her damp neck and arms, but still she clung to her partner. She felt his other arm snake around her waist and hold her to him.
"I am glad to see you again, Ayame." His voice- oh that deep baritone that she adored so much- rumbled in her ear. A shiver ran through her body as his warm breath made goose flesh pimple up on her neck and arms. She was not ashamed of her feelings or of her attraction to the older shinobi. She did not even care if he did not care for her the same. She was just happy to have him back.
" I'm glad to see you too." She whispered back. She didn't even bother with a snarky remark, "I've missed you."
Okay that she did not intend to come out and say. Face burning with her rising embarrassment, she attempted to pull away, only managing to pull back enough to look up at his face. That handsome face that was nearly always concealed with both an emotional mask and the signature mask that oft concealed his face. But now those cool blue eyes roiled with emotion.
" I have missed you too, Ayame." When he spoke his tone was husky as he reached up to pull down the dark brown cloth. The kunoichi's blush deepened. He was so close, so very close. She felt the arm around her waist slide up her back to wrap around her slender shoulders and she prayed to the Gods that she would not wake up from this dream. She could feel his breath against her suddenly very dry lips and her tongue darted out to moisten them. A low rumble vibrated in his chest and she only had time to gasp before he closed the distance between them. His lips felt like warm velvet against hers. Her blood was set on fire as it rushed through her veins, heating her already burning flesh. She moaned against his mouth, tangling her fingers in his tousled silver. They tore themselves from the other, gulping down air into their oxygen deprived lungs.
Ayame gasped when he brought his hands down to her rear as he stood, taking her with him, and she wrapped her legs tightly around his waist. She traced his strong, chiseled jaw line, kissing where she touched and suckling on each side of his strong neck. She tasted the sweat and grime from their battle, but that only spurred her on further as he began walking toward the forest.
"Where are we going?" She breathed out softly, breathless, against the crook of his neck.
"Privacy." He ground out, giving her cheeks a firm squeeze. A single word- That's all it took to send desire pooling in the kunoichi's belly. They walked for a while, stopping from time to time to marvel in each other's touch. Between the rutty smell of whatever they were covered in, Ayame caught the distinct scent of minerals and water not far from where Rikimaru had her pinned against a tree. She smiled impishly then moaned as he ground into her, letting her feel his own arousal against her clothed heat.
She had a plan. Carefully she untangled herself from him, her legs shaking as she set her feet on the ground. She chuckled as Rikimaru looked at her with a mixture of confusion and desire in his eyes. She wrapped her arms back around his neck and giggled as he dove in for another kiss, ravaging her lips with his. Before they could take it farther, she pulled away, grabbing his larger hand with hers, intertwining their fingers together. Wordlessly she led him through the forest toward the welcoming scent of the hot spring. She knew the instant he caught on to her plan. He swept her back up into his arms and sped in the direction of the spring. No sooner were they in the clearing, Ayame found herself sitting atop a decent sized boulder by the steaming waters with a very enthusiastic shinobi between her thighs, suckling and nipping at her neck.
She didn't care that they were in enemy territory. All she cared about was getting the man that she loved naked and into the spring. She moaned as his hands slid up her waist to the bottom hem of her top.
"Are you sure that this is what you want, my pet?" He whispered heatedly in her ear, nibbling on the lobe. She answered him by reaching forward and sliding his stained brown gi from his shoulders, letting it hang from his waist. She claimed his mouth in another smoldering kiss as he reached under her top, palming her breasts, the rough chain armor of his bracers scraping against her sensitive flesh. He tore himself away from her and made quick work of the chain armor that covered his torso, leaving his chiseled chest and toned, sinewy arms bare.
Ayame followed suit, ridding herself of her bracers and top. She gasped as the cool air brushed against her nipple, and she covered herself in a sudden flash of modesty. Rikimaru clasped her wrists gently, prying her arms from his view of her heaving breasts. His mouth descended on a pert nipple, swirling his tongue around the dusted peak before sealing his lips around it. A loud moan wrenched itself from her throat at the sensations the shinobi was enticing within in her body. She could only tangle her hands in his hair as one of his hands began palming her breasts again. She threw back her head and mewled, pressing her chest further into his touch. She kicked off her black sandals and reached for her black pants, fumbling with the ties of her belt. She felt him chuckle against her, before he looked up at her, his hands leaving her breasts to grip her wrists.
" So eager." He all but purred, guiding her hands to his waist. Ayame's hands untied the sash that held his trousers closed quickly before tangling them back into his hair when he smashed his lips against hers once more. He began kneading her breast with one hand, the other untying her belt. She moaned into the kiss, allowing his tongue to enter her mouth to tangle with hers. She was in heaven, between his hand and his tongue she didn't want him to stop.
"The spring!" She managed to gasp out before diving back into the kiss. She wanted him to take her, to make him a part of herself. He definitely understood her reasoning and most definitely seemed to want the same thing because before she could comprehend it, she was completely naked and he stood before her, slipping off his trousers to stand in all of his glory.
She took in the sight of him, his deep blue eyes as they stared hungrily at her, his strong jaw and neck, his broad shoulders, the chiseled planes of his chest and abdomen. She moaned at the sight of the muscles in his arms jumped and tensed, the sight of his long fingers wrapped around his thick girth as he pumped himself. Her legs involuntarily spread wider to accommodate him and she could feel the moisture leaking from her core. She giggled as he swept her into his arms again and carried her into the warm waters of the spring.
Rikimaru savored the feeling of the small woman's core against his abdomen, of her breasts pressed against his chest. Suddenly everything became less of a carnal urge for one another and more of a desire to savor the other's body and soul. They simply stared lovingly into each other's eyes, their hands roaming each other's body tenderly.
"I am so happy to have you in my arms." Ayame whispered, smiling ear to ear, kissing him gently. The shinobi smiled softly,
"I thought about you every day in that world." He murmured against her lips, his right hand resting on the swell of her hip while the other trailed lower, down her taut abdomen to her womanhood to caress the slick folds. " I thought about touching you, kissing you like this." He continued, panting against her collarbone as she threw her head back and moaned. The sweet moans and gasps were sending pleasurable jolts to his engorged erection. He brushed his thumb against the bundle of nerves buried in her folds as she bucked against his hand. He peppered kisses along her neck as he skimmed her entrance with his middle finger, savoring the feel of her warm heat engulfing his finger as he pressed the digit inside of her. He felt her maiden's barrier and nearly came then. She was still pure. He was the first touch she would ever know.
Ayame gripped his biceps tightly when she felt the intrusion. He was stroking her in a place where she needed him to stoke the fire threatening to burn her alive. She gasped, whimpering, as he began to pump the digit into her core.
"Please!" She gasped out then moaned, pulling his face down to hers, whining wantonly. "Rikimaru...I need you…!"
He chuckled against her lips, withdrawing his finger from her body, basking in the sounds of her protests. "I must prepare you, love. I do not wish to hurt you." he groaned before pushing two fingers into her body. Ayame felt her body tense around the digits, wincing slightly at the stretch. She quickly sanctified with the digits when he began pumping his fingers again, rubbing a spot deep inside of her as he did so. She could feel something inside of her begin to tighten as the pleasure began to build within her belly. She slouched forward against his chest, panting and moaning as he pleasured her core with one hand while the other would squeeze her ass on occasion.
She couldn't take much more and neither could he if the his body trembled against hers was any indication.
"Rikimaru…" She whimpered before her first orgasm ripped through her body, a scream wrenching itself from her throat. She panted against him, trying to regain her composure as he walked to the shore, setting her on the edge of the spring, gently pulling his fingers from her body, leaving the little woman feeling empty inside. She gasped when he pressed himself against her, the tip of his length warm and blunt against her core.
He bent himself over her smaller frame to into her eyes, his gaze pleading, asking her for permission as he stroked her cheek gently. Taking a deep breath, Ayame nodded her consent and she bit back the cry of pain that threatened to spill from her lips as he slowly pushed forward into her body, pressing his length inch by inch into her tight heat until he was fully sheathed within her. She trembled beneath him, clawing at his back as she waited to adjust to his size. He was completely still above her, watching her face with a pained expression on his own.
After a few more moments she finally relaxed, giving him a shaky smile and a kiss. She clenched her jaw when he began to move, slowly pushing in and withdrawing himself from her sweet little passage, only to repeat the motion over and over, establishing a slow rhythm.
Ayame couldn't help but buck her hips against him once the last of the pain subsided. This pleasure was on a whole other level from what his fingers caused. She couldn't help but moan and mewl as he hit that oh so sweet spot inside of her.
"More!" She panted out, "Please!" She cried out, clinging to him when he complied, quickening his pace, hitting that spot within her harder. He grunted, coming to rest on his arms on each side of her head.
"So tight!" He ground out, pressing his forehead to hers, "I'm so close, Ayame. Oh so close!" He groaned, claiming her mouth in a kiss as he began to pound into her willing body, earning muffled screams against his lips. She could feel that coil beginning to tighten again and she wrapped her legs around his waist. Her head was spinning with sensations, her body was ablaze, and then suddenly it all exploded around her. The coil within her snapped and her tight walls clamped around his cock as he slammed into her a few more times, meeting his own release…..
~Present Day~
Ayame swayed for a moment in the hallway as she snapped back to the present. She could feel the blush on her cheeks as the memories replayed again and again in her head. That night had been amazing for the both of them. She pressed a hand to her belly and the other to the wall as a wave of dizziness hit her. She needed to calm down- and get food. Slowly she righted herself , walking again. That day she had been so afraid that she would wake up as she had done so often before that she just lied awake with him afterward, holding him to her. They had made love many times after that day, even after they had found out that she was pregnant. Since they didn't have any family in the village. Rikimaru required that they stay in the village.
A sigh passed through her lips, her breath hitching when she felt a strong kick from within her. She smoothed her hand over the spot. He was moving a lot today. She smiled softly at the thought. Of course there was no way of telling for sure what the sex of an unborn child was, but she like to think she was having a boy.
"Your papa says otherwise, but I Know you're a little boy." She whispered to her belly as she waddled into the dining hall. Kiku was already seated, smiling around cheek fulls of rice when she spotted her 'sister'.
"Woki-cha!" She garbled out before frowning and swallowing her food and trying again, "Onee-chan!" She stood and ran to the kunoichi, hugging her from the side, resting her cheek against Ayame's belly. "How are you feeling?"
The Twenty-two-year-old smiled down at the twelve-year-old, nodding. "I am feeling much better! Shall we eat?" She winced as the baby gave another hard kick to her ribs, waving it off when Kiku and Ghoda gave her worried looks. Two servants came over and eased her down onto the cushion next to Kiku. She thanked them before gathering her meal. Taking in a mouth full of rice she looked around for her partner- where was he? She wasn't going to admit it, but she was starting to worry.
She swallowed her food then looked to Ghoda. "My Lord, if I may ask, where is Rikimaru?" Her lord looked up from his food, smiling knowingly at her.
"He was in the castle earlier. He refuses to leave with you being so close to giving birth." He chuckled, going back to his food when she nodded.
"Thank you, My Lord." She bowed her head before continuing to munch on her fish. As if by just speaking his name could summon him, Rikimaru sauntered in, wearing a grey gi and trousers, free of chain armor and bracers. He bowed to Lord Ghoda before taking a seat next to Ayame, kissing her hair as he did so. Kiku giggled at the two and Ghoda just gave them a smile.
"Ah! Rikimaru! Ayame was just asking about you!" Ghoda laughed as said kunoichi ducked to avoid stares as she blushed. Rikimaru turned to his partner, somewhat worried, his eyes roaming over her form.
"Are you alright? Is something wrong with the baby?" He asked, placing his large hand on her belly. Ayame rolled her eyes, but smiled at him, placing her smaller hand over his.
"I'm fine, Rikimaru. He's just been kicking a lot today." She said, a particularly hard kick knocking the wind out of her, emphasizing her statement. She cradled her belly, leaning heavily on Rikimaru who was bug eyed and tensed against her.
Ghoda chuckled again, drawing the fretting ninjas' attention. "It seems that the child is telling you that they are ready to meet their parents." He laughed as Ayame's face paled. They were definitely going to have their hands full with their first child. It would be amusing to watch the two deadliest assassins in his realm scramble to feed the child and tend to its needs.
Rikimaru looked back to his love as she groaned in discomfort, her body tensing, her limbs locking in place for what seemed like an eternity before relaxing against him. "Ayame…?" He began, voice hitching. She looked up at him, smiling nervously.
"Just some pain is all. I'm okay." She said in a strained tone.
"It seems as though I may have been right." Ghoda said and both ninjas' heads snapped in his direction, their eyes bugging out. Rikimaru scrambled to his feet.
"I'll go get the healer!" He stammered, going to dart to the infirmary. Ayame grabbed hold of his gi, effectively stopping his movement. She couldn't let him freak out when she herself was ready to lapse into a panic attack!
"Sit." She sighed impatiently, "She already told me that it could be hours before she will be needed." She spoke as gently as she could to her partner. "Let's go sit in the garden."
After a moment Rikimaru, looking rather flustered, nodded before helping the kunoichi to her feet. They bowed to Ghoda and Kiku before taking their leave.
About an hour later, they sat in the indoor garden. Rikimaru sat with his back against a Sakura tree with Ayame resting between his legs, her back to his chest. He gently rubbed circles in her belly, feeling his child kick and move with the smaller woman's womb.
"I want you there when it's time." She said as Rikimaru kissed the nape of her neck and behind her left ear. He nodded, nuzzling her shoulder gently. She was terrified, and he could tell. It was not traditional by any means for the father to be present in the birthing chamber. But, then again, they were anything but traditional. He felt another contraction tighten the muscles of her abdomen and heard her sharp intake of breath.
"Breath, love." He whispered as she whimpered, kissing her neck right under her jaw. Most women would be moaning and groaning at the pain, but she was silent. She was his strong little spitfire.
"Remind me-" She huffed out "-to kick your ass after this baby is born." She grabbed his hand, squeezing it tightly in an iron grip. By the Gods, this hurt! She felt as though her insides were being ripped apart. The weight of her partner's hand on her belly was a very comforting distraction. The contractions were long, and beyond painful! It was unlike anything she had ever felt before in her life- and she had been stabbed numerous times in the past!
She cried out when the pain suddenly intensified and she felt warmth trickling down from her body. Fuck. "Rikimaru…" She began, curling around herself. "Take me to the healer." She could still walk, but she would need his support.
"It's time." She felt his body go rigid against her back, his heart thundering in his chest. She looked up when he stood, gently pulling her to her feet. He turned her around before claiming her lips in a searing kiss, all of his love for her focused into it.
"Are you ready?" He whispered, caressing her cheek. She smiled softly, her hazel eyes glittering as she looked up at him.
"Not really. But what can ya do?" She retorted with one of her cocky smirks that made him want to ravish her every time he saw it. Now was not the time for such. Her knees buckled as a particularly gut wrenching contraction tore through her body. Rikimaru caught her, gripping her forearms to support her. Without another word he guided her down the halls, careful of the woman beside him, leaning heavily against his taller frame.
They reached the birthing chamber without a hitch, ordering a nurse to fetch the healer. He peeled back the covers of the large futon that sat in the middle of the room. Ayame cried out as another contraction gripped her, gripping Rikimaru's shoulder tightly. Quickly the shinobi guided his partner down to lay down on the soft bedding. She gripped his hand, gritting her teeth against the searing pain. The pressure was becoming unbearable!
"Breath, Ayame. You need to breathe." He kept his tone even as he spoke, wiping some sweat from her brow. He smiles down at her, "We finally get to meet our daughter soon." He was trying to get a rise out of her to get her mind off of the pain. He was not disappointed.
"You're going to feel real silly when you get to hold your son." She jabbed back through her pained gasps and pants. Rikimaru chuckled, kissing her brow.
"We will see, my love." He was filled with pride toward the woman in front of him. She was always a strong, independent woman, and she was doing something that governed the utmost respect from anyone. She was giving him a family. He was going to be a father all thanks to the beautiful creature holding tightly to him. The next twenty minutes were filled with pained gasps and cries from Ayame as Rikimaru gently talked her through it.
The kunoichi suddenly let loose a blood curdling scream, gripping the blanket with her free hand. Tears were streaming down her face which was glistening with perspiration. The healer had said it would take hours. Within an hour and a half she felt spears of fiery pain pushing through her abdomen and pelvis.
"Rikimaru...It's too much!" She sobbed out, straining the last bit as a fresh wave of agony washed over her. She kicked back the covers from her body, hiking up her Yukata. Rikimaru was taken aback, going to pull the kimono over legs.
"No!" Another strangled cry wrang from her parched throat. She caught his wrist. "I need you to do this- deliver our baby."
Rikimaru hesitated for a moment, before he jumped to his feet and rant to get the needed supplies and a servant to assist him. He grabbed the closest servant, dragging her off to help with the supplies.
"Ayame is in labor." He began. " I need your help to deliver it." He heard the young girl gasp behind him.
"But Master Rikimaru the healer should be the one to deliver Mistress Ayame's babe!" She squeaked when he whirled around to face her, giving her an almost pleading look. He usually did not stoop so low as to grovel, but this was a very dire situation. The maiden merely smiled after a moment, nodding.
"I will gather what you will need, Master Rikimaru. Go to her." She said before dashing off to do as she said. Rikimaru returned to the birthing chamber to see Ayame sitting up, her hands holding her up, her legs spread wide. She looked up at him, a wild fear darkening her hazel eyes. She fell back onto her arms as Rikimaru knelt in front of her. Swallowing down the rising bile. Could he do this? Deliver his child into the world? He had heard many stories of women dying during childbirth.
His own mother had been one of those victims. He shook his head as two maidens walked in carrying a bucket of steaming water and rags along with a blanket. He recognized the servant that he had found and nodded to her. He could do this- he would do this. Two of the servants sat on each side of Ayame, propping her up and letting her squeeze their hands
The kunoichi gave another scream. "It fucking hurts!"
The third servant looked at him hard as she dabbed the screaming woman's forehead, "Check to see if the head is crowning. If it is have her push hard."
The shinobi nodded before looking between her legs. He caught sight of a bloodied mass of silver hair that seemed to bubble from her body, barely peeking from her folds. He pressed her legs apart further, looking at Ayame. "Ayame. I need you to push. I can see the head- You're almost done." He spoke fervently, giving her a smile. Her hair, saturated and wild, clung to her face and neck as she gasped for air. He watched as she took a deep breath before baring down and he watched as the baby's head emerged further from her body.
"Okay, that's good! A little more and then you can rest, love!" He had heard the healer a few times assisting women in birth so he assumed this was correct. Ayame slouched back in exhaustion and the baby's head receded back slightly.
"I can't! Too much!" She gasped, sobbing and crying out again. The servant spoke then, clasping the woman's tensed shoulders.
"I know mistress, but you need to free the babe's head. One more big push!" Ayame nodded and Rikimaru watched in morbid fascination as the love of his life pushed hard, her face turning red. The head popped out and Ayame yelped at the sensation, falling back into the servants' arms. A swell of pride welled up in Rikimaru's chest. He brushed his fingers against his baby's soft, wet hair. So very close.
"Ayame. You are so close- one more. Just one more." He whispered. The servants, sensing the kunoichi's exhaustion, pressed her hands to the top of her belly.
"We will assist you, mistress. But you must push." The one on her left spoke- or was it her right? She could no longer tell through the haze of pain.
She could do this. Summoning up the last of her strength, baring down, screaming at the top of her lungs as the two hands on her belly pushed down hard. It all happened at once. She felt when the baby was out, the pain vanishing and she collapsed, utterly exhausted. She could hear the tiny cries fill the room and she looked to see Rikimaru, holding the baby in his large hands. He was just looking at it with an insurmountable amount of adoration.
"Well?" She croaked out, panting weakly, "What is it?"
He looked up at her then and that same adoration sparkled in his eyes when his eyes fell on hers, a smile stretching across his lips. "I told you we would have a girl." Smug bastard sounded triumphant as he cut the cord and carefully swaddled the baby in the warm blanket before setting her down on the futon beside Ayame.
A girl. She had a daughter. The kunoichi smiled at the smooshed features of the newborn's face. "My little girl." She whispered, before looking to Rikimaru. "Our little girl."
The 26 year old looked at his new family. His partner and the woman he loved, and their new daughter. He felt whole for the first time in a very long time.
"Yui." He heard his partner's hoarse voice and smiled.
"I like that name. Yui." He kissed his partner, then kissed the soft top of his daughter's head….
END
Rikimaru: *sitting in a corner, knees pulled up to his chest* O_O
Me: Pansy. =_= It's childbirth it's a beautiful thing!
Rikimaru: IT IS TERRIFYING. HOW DO YOU EVEN DO THOSE THINGS.
Me: Okay guys! Please leave me a review and tell me what you think! I'd love to know what you all think~