Umbrella Drinks

Jacqui was fully aware how pointless it was to argue with Cassie when her best friend wanted to give her profuse gifts, but even this was way too much.

Takeda sat the bags near the front door of the beach condo and despite his despondent mood, he beamed a smile as he walked towards the sliding glass doors and stepped on the green balcony. Even though this was considered an early birthday present, Jacqui felt completely awkward letting her friend get the bill— even though she knew Cage was more than good for it.

The expense of the trip wasn't the problem that weighed heavily on her shoulders, though...

Jacqui caught the Shirai Ryu turning away from the view and regarded her with a timid smile, before fixing back on the horizon.

"So… these are the perks of being Cassie's friend, huh?" Takeda cracked as he walked back into the cottage's modern, refined living room. Everything in the small cottage was something out a Home and Garden catalog.

"I'm sure they pay the interior decorator big bucks," Jacqui mused with an uncomfortable grimace. Her brown eyes glossed over the cherry hardwood floor, the white kitchen that was so clean it was blinding, and the brown leather sofa. Jacqui inspected every pristine detail and couldn't help but ring up the price tag for each item in her head.

This was way too much, Cassie.

Takeda scratched his head with a dejected disposition he failed to hide as he fixed his eyes on unbuttoning the third and fourth button of his blue short sleeved shirt. He cleared his throat, "I'll get the bags," he offered as he walked over to her. Jacqui gave a weak, thankful smile that he didn't respond to and began carrying the bags inside the room.

Jacqui shamefully watched him go as he disappeared into the room—the room they be sharing this trip. Again, Cassie's suggestion and the reason for the wedge that shouldn't have been present between the couple.

The Specialist felt a knowing smirk pull at the corner of her mouth. She wasn't stupid to what Cage was doing. Cassie had been more than excited when Jacqui started dating again and was acting as an overenthusiastic matchmaker. Honestly, it was annoying.

She had been adamant about helping with Jacqui's dating life since the last loser Cassie had set her up with. The guy was a dick, and they only had one, horrible date— one that resulted in her punching him in the face when she rejected his good-bye kiss and fired off a bitter, sexist remark to her nixing his attempt. Now, Cassie wanted to make up with splurging on her and Takeda— which she asked her constantly to stop. Cassie never listened, though, and her patience for it reached the brim this time.

Jacqui never did like feeling of being played with like a puppet on a string—especially Cassie's—and it was obvious that she had been planning this when she lied to her that she booked 2 cottages instead of 4. It was a stupid, childish move that Cassie didn't need to do. Jacqui had always planned to ask Jin if they could switch. Kung Jin was not exactly the most ecstatic about sharing a cottage with Cage at first, but he didn't gripe about it too much because he got a free trip to Maui out of it and had agreed to for a night. Another reason was Jin also wanted to see his friend happy and didn't have a problem letting Jacqui be the source of that solace. After Shinnok's invasion, the team was closer, stronger and came to accept each other more despite their individual, and sometimes, conflicting personalities.

Jacqui flopped on the couch as Takeda went over to the balcony's view again, listening to the cyan waves crash against the tan Maui shoreline. She fiddled with the white strings at the edge of her denim shorts. Perhaps she was being a little unappreciative. It was nice of Cassie to do this for them all.

"You and Cass are sharing a room?"

Her dad's stern, suspicious voice made guilty butterflies flutter aggressively in her stomach. Technically, she hadn't lied to her father. Cassie had and Jacqui related what she didn't know was false at the time. Her friend hadn't told her until they got onto the plane, which led to an awkward 5 hour ride with a nervous flight attendant serving the quiet, annoyed pair. Jacqui honestly felt bad for the guy; he did his best.

It wasn't sharing the room; it was being lied to and have it masqueraded as a surprise. It wasn't her ideal way to start a vacation. Cassie's present felt forced and Jacqui didn't appreciate it.

Takeda sensed it as well, which is why he chose to distance himself until her nerves settled. Jin and her boyfriend had been seated behind them and heard the entire exchange on the ride down. Even with a tailwind propelling them faster to the island, the entire flight had moved at a tremendously slow and painful pace for her. He got the wrong impression, and she knew he did from the hesitant quietness he displayed. The younger Takahashi assumed from her fight with Cassie on the plane that she didn't want to spend any time with him altogether— which was adverse to what she had intended. It made Jacqui feel like a terrible girlfriend. Unintentionally, she had made Takeda feel like shit and in turn, it made her feel the same. Jacqui had been planning on taking their relationship to the next level, and by Takeda's disappointed disposition, seemed to have wanted the same thing.

They had only been dating for a month or two. Hell, her mom and dad didn't even know about it. The only intimacy they shared were a couple of heated make-out sessions, which she had to admit, were more than satisfying. Jacqui was no virgin, but she knew Takeda was. Still, he never once pressured her into it and understood her restrictions.

Every time she had traversed over that line, the guy ended up breaking up with her. Even though Takeda topped all her past boyfriends, and she didn't think he was the type of guy to treat her with such deplorable manners, her insecurity still hung over her. Briggs had worked up the courage to dive into it, waiting for the trip and to surprise him, but after what happened on the plane, her hesitations returned and squashed her desires, leaving her with nothing but a dull ache in the pit of her stomach.

It probably wasn't going to happen now.

Even though they hadn't exchanged words, this was the closest they had come to a fight. The silence was almost just as bad as anything they could say. Jacqui couldn't take it. She could fight back with words, but the muteness was unbearable. Grabbing her spare of the hotel key card, she slid back into her white flip-flops and headed towards the door with her brown leather wallet.

Even though Jacqui didn't turn around to look, she sighed heavily as she felt Takeda's solemn eyes on her back as she closed the door.

The last amber light of the sunset was drowned out by the progressing and dominant sapphire glow of twilight by the time she finished her first fruity alcoholic concoction. Plucking the stick from the glass, she ate the pineapple wedge and dumped it back in the cup. Chewing it with a sour disposition, she nodded towards the bartender who gave her small acknowledging smile.

It wasn't busy, and besides the older man who looked like gray Burt Reynolds in a white and orange tiger lily shirt, she was the only one at the bar. The sound of couples laughing, unfortunately, wasn't drowned out by the ukulele from the larger Hawaiian man that sat on the stage on a stool. If only he could have played louder…

The African American man in his mid-20's, wearing a red bandana tied around his forehead walked over and retrieved her empty drink. "You want another one, or something different?" he asked with a kind voice.

"Surprise me," Jacqui grumbled, placing her chin in her hand.

He lifted his eyebrows and gave a shrug as he walked over to the shelf behind him. Grabbing a bottle of Jack Daniels, he poured it into a shot glass over ice.

The Specialist quirked an eyebrow at him as he placed it in front of her. "Am I that obvious?"

"Only two reasons why anybody comes in here with a gloomy face before the rush. One, because they lost all their luggage and they're sucking down drinks to kill time and two because they got into a fight with their significant other. You look like the significant other."

"Maybe I just lost my luggage," Jacqui defensively quipped.

He gave a lop-sided smile. "No offense, nobody looks that sad over misplaced bags."

"Maybe I had something that I couldn't replace in it," Jacqui answered bitingly as she grabbed the shot glass. Tipping her head back, she downed the entire thing in one swig. As soon as it settled with a small burn in her stomach, she reached into her wallet and grabbed a couple of 5 dollar bills. With a glower, she placed it on the counter for him.

"I'm done," she informed bluntly.

"Sorry. I wasn't trying to be nosy. Just hate seeing young people upset with each other on their vacation. Not supposed to be advertised in the brochure," he responded, scratching the back of his neck sheepishly.

Jacqui felt guilt bite and sink its teeth into her as he cheerlessly collected the money with a false smile, trying not to convey he was offended and went to ring up her change. A regretful sigh left her, leaving a bitter taste in her mouth.

As he handed the money to her, she raised a hand and gave an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to take it out on you."

He shook his head understandably and shrugged. "No harm done. I've had worse customers."

Even with his affirmation she still felt contrite about snapping at him. Dipping into her wallet, she grabbed another five. "Umbrella drink. I don't care what it is as long as it has an umbrella and booze in it – no tequila though please."

He pushed the five back to her, "On the house this time."

She nodded with a grateful grin. "Thanks."

After the blender screamed for a good couple of seconds, he added the finishing touches to her tangerine-colored drink with fruit and a miniature green umbrella to top off the look. As the bartender walked back over to her, his coffee-colored eyes glanced up over her shoulder before back to her.

"He's good looking — your luggage. You're a lucky girl," the barkeep winked.

Despite how desperately she wanted to look behind her shoulder, Jacqui kept her eyes on the neon green straw sticking out of her drink as he placed it down on the napkin. "How do you know it's him?" she inquired.

"Because he took one look at me handing you a drink and stormed off," he frowned. His eyebrows rose at her with a dubious expression. "He does know that's my job right?"

"I don't think he's mad at you," Jacqui avowed wistfully. Staring down at the drink, suddenly she felt wrong for even ordering it. They had promised to share a pair. It was a sentimental oath they had been eager to cash in. It wasn't just about the simplicity of partaking in a couple's activity. In a way, it was more special than sex or going on a trip together, because it was a revelation to the both of them how they felt about each other. The Specialist suddenly felt increasingly worse with each passing second that ticked on. Just by being at the bar, thinking about indulging herself in the drink without him, she was actually hurting him more.

"I promised him an umbrella drink too."

After a minute of watching her play with the straw, not willing to take a sip after the declaration, a perceptive smiled cracked its way on to his face. Stewing in her own contempt with herself, she didn't even realize what he was doing until she heard the blender roaring to life again. The SF officer dismissed it was for her until he placed an identical orange umbrella drink right in front of her.

He placed his hands on the counter and stared down at her like a teacher observing her in detention. "Get up. Go get your man before I do and enjoy your damn vacation."

Jacqui exhaled through her nose as if trying to get rid of the last of her apprehension that still swirled around inside her chest. Briggs knew approaching Takeda wouldn't be the easiest thing, giving apologies wasn't exactly her strongest attribute. However, she needed to endure some humility, though she was still peeved at Cassie. Takeda didn't deserve her enmity, he was just a bystander, so she needed to make it up to him.

She placed a 20 on the bar and grabbed the drinks. Before he could refuse, she smiled and said: "A tip for a tip."

His mouth opened but the words never left as Jacqui flashed him with an authoritative stare; silently ordering him to take the money or else. He chuckled lightly and pocketed the note, accepting that he wasn't going to win the argument, as she walked towards the door.

With nothing but her footsteps and the waves disturbing the sand on the beach, it was quiet along the shore. Under the lights from the cottages and the half-moon hanging overhead, she walked in solitude towards the figure that sat in the sand. With a knee crooked up and his forearm draped over his kneecap, Takeda's eyes stayed forward as she came closer to him.

Jacqui stopped and looked down at him with a sorrowful frown. "Hey," she greeted gingerly.

Takeda looked at her as a smile flickered on his face before he sighed. "Hey."

"I'm sorry," Jacqui admitted with an ashamed tone. "I'm sorry I brought this vacation to a screeching halt before it even began."

Takahashi looked up at her, studying the remorsefulness she transmitted to him with the utmost sincerity before he briefly nodded his head. "You didn't and you don't need to be. I know you're not mad at me."

Her long fingers flexed against the surface of the glass, ungluing them from the melted alcoholic dribbles that had dripped over and dried on the outside of the glasses. The military officer knew that he was just trying to be nice and could still sense the ambivalence regarding her apology. Jacqui sat next to him on the sand and shook her head.

"No, it's not," she intoned lamentably. "I never wanted you to feel that I didn't want to spend time with you. That's all I ever wanted! I just get sick of Cassie sticking her nose in our business."

Takeda shrugged his shoulders understandably, "I know, Jacqui. You expect anything less, though? It is Cassie."

Briggs let out a small laugh in agreement. "Yeah, I know that. Still, she doesn't need to be a control freak about everything - especially with how I want to spend time with my boyfriend."

"You admitted it," Takeda teased in a sing-song voice. Jacqui quirked a smile and nudged him with her shoulder, causing him to laugh in turn. His eyes shot to the drinks in her hands. "One of those for me by chance?"

She handed it to him and he took it delightfully. "Thanks. Been waiting for one of these forever."

Involuntarily, her mind wandered towards another subject, one that made her gulp nervously. She was grateful the night hid the red hue that enveloped her cheeks and hid it from Takeda at that moment. "I know what you mean," Jacqui agreed.

When her eyes locked with his, it wasn't hard to see that he had caught the double meaning in her statement. They both knew what she was referring too and how the layer of reticence due to the topic indicated it was clearly on both of their minds. The ninja wisely chose not comment, and instead, subtlety changed the subject and raised his glass at her.

"To finally getting our umbrella drinks," he toasted with a good-natured grin.

Raising her glass, she clinked the glass against his. As they drank their long promised beverage, savoring the taste, Jacqui felt her hand sneak its way over to Takeda's. Laying it over the top of his, she removed her eyes from counting the waves crashing to the shore and locked eyes with him when she felt him rotate it and squeezed her fingers in his palm. Just the silent gesture alone was enough for her to qualm her small suspicion he still held a grudge for their fight. Even though he had already told her, him holding her hand was a silent and wonderful confirmation.

He smiled buoyantly, despite his mouth around the straw, as she rested her head on his shoulder. This tranquil, solitary moment between them was what she had been longing for since the Sky Temple. Although, she had initially pictured something different in mind— in the middle of the day by the crowded poolside– this was by far better than what she had fantasized. His closeness and his steady heartbeat in her ear, barely audible over the sound of the waves, produced such serenity in her that she hadn't thought was capable from such a simple thing as sitting on the beach.

Under the eyes of the night was more than ideal to what she wanted, the waves a soothing soundtrack, and the warmth she stole from Takeda's body was better than the evening heat Hawaii could provide.

There was something that was missing though, and she was determined to fix it now that they had their drinks. Her opposite hand reached across his chest and gently grasped the side of his cheek. Obeying the small push of her hand, Takeda craned his head down and met her lips. At first it was just a small peck, but as she attempted to pull away, she only managed a couple of centimeters before she pressed her lips to his again.

Jacqui could taste pineapple and coconut as she began to dance her lips with his, and the rum mixed along with the fruit made her desire for him more intoxicating. Takeda must have felt the same way, because he tossed his drink over his shoulder, littering the sand behind him with the rest of the beverage, before grabbing hers and doing the same. Jacqui laughed at the almost animated way he did so, like a cheesy male from a Harlequin romance novel.

"Smooth," she jabbed.

He smirked as he wrapped his arms around her and she locked her hands behind his neck, Jacqui was actually startled how fast her past insecurities about sex fled away. In fact, it wasn't even present, and she blissfully blamed Takeda for that. A small pang of shame shortly entered her when she couldn't believe that she could consider comparing him to the other assholes before he distracted her with his tongue probing against her lips.

Her mouth opened for him, allowing the small moan she had been suppressing to finally escape into the night air. Eyes closed and cradled in his arms in a paradise, she felt herself growing wet with each moan from the both of them that fell on her ears. Desperately, she pulled him closer to her, crushing her against him and with him copying her strength. Even though they were skin to skin, their body heat and the humid night causing them to grow slick with sweat, it still wasn't close enough. Her fingers raveled into his jet black hair with small frenzied tugs. His lips slacked against hers, momentarily numbed with pleasure as her fingers ran through his scalp. A satisfied groan departed him before he picked up the pace of his kiss.

Lust pooled in the pit of her stomach and sent electric currents that zapped her with the same euphoria, frying every nerve and eliminating all doubt as if it never existed within her. There was nothing but him and the beach. Nothing but the way he held her, how their bodies connected that was as important. It was a lovely distraction from the world, one she didn't know she was depriving herself of for so long.

Jacqui wanted to dig for more, wanted to explore what lay under the layers of clothing and the compassion he persuaded he could deliver by letting her sample his feverish kisses. They migrated towards her neck and she leaned her head to the side for him. He planted pecks along her pulse, and a breathy gasp left her when she realized how badly she wanted his mouth to travel down the rest of her body. Regrettably, he returned to her lips and Jacqui felt cheated; unsatisfied. This wouldn't do.

Moving to straddle him, she failed to suppress the small breathy moan that left her when his hardened arousal dug between her legs. It only caused her to grow wetter, especially when he let out a low groan and his eyes glazed over as she mounted him. For a moment, it looked as if he felt guilty for his body to betray to her how aroused he was and gulped. It stunned Jacqui for a moment, enough for her to come out of her roused stupor.

"Are you alright?" she asked, her brows furrowed with worry.

"Oh… yeah… I just don't want to, uh, do anything you don't want to do," he rambled nervously, his eyes hunting for seashells along the sand as if they could offer sanctuary for his embarrassing predicament.

Jacqui gave him a benevolent smile and gently lifted his chin with her fingers. Shy skepticism stared back at her, and she soothed it with a tame kiss. Takeda bit his lip as she pulled back and placed her hand against his cheek. His soft palm blanketed over the top of hers.

"Takeda… I… I think I… I mean I know I…" the words she wanted to say were stuck in her throat and every effort to clear them stopped dead on her tongue. Why was she so nervous? As she looked at him, his hand on her hip and another on her hand, the realization crashed down on her why it was different than the other times. Simply, it was because she felt nothing with the others. There was lust, and there was lust with Takeda, but it was ponderously different. Lust was only a small component to the other ingredients what made up their fiery affair: there was also passion, tenderness, respect and attachment - things that had been absent with the others. Jacqui knew she could compile all that into one word, but societies' rules had forbid it to leave her lips so soon, or else it would be taboo.

It wasn't ethics that stopped her; rules never held her down nor did what other people thought of her. There was more to it and Briggs was fully aware that it was the profound density of the word and the alteration to their relationship it would do if muttered without sincerity. The thing was, deep down, she knew she would mean it, but still the fear of telling him made her stammer like a fish breached on land. The more she held back, the more ineptitude started to flip like a pancake inside of her stomach.

Just say it! You mean it in your head, just say it out loud!

The voice screamed the truth, she knew with every atom in her body that it did, but she choked on the words that wanted to leave. Another alternative fired into her mind, and she found herself more comfortable with the idea. If she couldn't say it right now, then she could, at least, show him.

Jacqui picked herself off of him and for a moment, he looked somewhat disappointed until she reached out with her hand. Excitedly, he obeyed and took her hand as she led him back to the beach condo.

The first time they didn't even make it to the bed. The minute the deadlock was bolted, they leeched on to each other— not willing to waste any more time. Jacqui knew that while he was eager, he was still unsure of what exactly to do; how to proceed that wouldn't rub her the wrong way. She wasn't sure how he could think that because everything that he did, rubbed her the right way. Still, she was patient and guided him where he needed to do, where to touch and how to act.

Jacqui didn't really want to count the time on the floor as their first romantic engagement, because honestly, he came to fast and the hardwood floor burned her back.

The second time, however, was more enthralling and his more trained hands sent shivers as he ran them down her back. Riding him, taking her time and relishing in every devout caress he showered her with, Jacqui tipped her head back. His hands grabbed her hips, digging his fingernails into her side as a moan left his parted lips, mingling with hers.

Each slide down his cock elicited heavier panting from her as she picked up speed, mewling as his length sent her loins bursting with pleasant fire all along her nerves. His hands cupped her breasts, causing her to let out another delighted moan. Her perked nipples scratched against his palm as he kneaded them, causing her to grow more fervent with her thrusts. Sweat dropped down as their hastened tempo caused them to breath haggardly between moans, disturbing the night with an erotic orchestra that was meant for only their ears.

Takeda jerked his hips up, meeting hers as she descended eagerly upon him. His participation caused an explosion across her, casting her closer to the edge she was restless to descend off of. Grabbing his hand blindly, she guided him to her clit; flicking her with greedy strokes.

"Jacqui…" it was almost torture to even say her name, but she knew that he was also getting close, and she was thankful because so was she. Grinding against him hastily, she felt her walls clamp around him with excruciating but thrilling pressure. His head dug into the pillows as he hissed through his teeth and the sudden clamp on her breast and the circles he ran on her nub with his thumb caused her climax to come seconds after his.

Jacqui was glad that they had a cabin, and all the doors were closed, otherwise she would have disturbed somebody with her cries. Spilling on top of him, she shivered against his naked chest as he encircled his arms around, her holding on to her like a starving man with his last morsel.

Rising the last waves of her orgasm, she lifted her face to plant another tired and dainty kiss to his flushed lips. It was in that moment, perhaps because she was too exhausted to care, or because she finally had the courage to, she whispered the words on her mind that she couldn't say before.

"I love you."

Jacqui felt the side of her face crease as his mouth tugged up into a smile against her cheek. Placing a kiss against the same side of flesh, he sighed with her in his embrace and responded: "I love you too."

Rolling off of him and immersing into the side of his body with her head on his shoulder and an arm draped over his chest, she didn't even recall falling asleep. The only thing that she did remember when she woke up the next morning was how at peace she was and how fortunate she was for Lady Luck to grant her wish.

There was nobody she wanted more than the man in her bed right now.

She never would need anybody else but Takeda.

A/N: This is my first attempt at smut and I thought this prompt was a good way for me to get my feet wet. Hoped it was enjoyable despite being somewhat brief. :/ I also wanted them to have a small couple fight instead of doing something full of rainbows and smiles. Rattle their relationship up a bit and see how they react to miniscule things.

Thanks for reading. :)