Darkness reigned as the night had fallen upon the city of Kiyou. The street was dimly lit by the light of the street lanterns which flickered precariously but never truly extinguished. Few people milled around at this time of the day for which Seiran was glad as he carried his dear Ojou san back to the house. As he trudged along familiar pathways he couldn't help but look down upon the young lady in question as a smile escaped his usually stoic face. She was the first one apart from his little brother Ryuuki who had wrestled inside his heart and claimed a special place.
He stopped his musings as he watched her slowly stir in her sleep and wondered what she could possibly be doing in the red light district. Rage filled his senses when he remembered how he had discovered her stumbling outside a brothel, clearly drunk. He would ask her about that later, all in due time once they reached the mansion's premises and when she was properly rested.
As Seiran reached the once glorious mansion he quietly tried to open the wooden front door. He slowly walked inside and noticed the leaky roof near the kitchen and the creak in the steps due to an earlier termite infestation. With a sigh he turned towards his Ojou san's room. This family, Shuurei, Shouka san deserved so much better.
Gently, while shifting his Ojou san's weight on his left hand Seiran pried the door open and steadily walked in. He looked around and found her room cluttered with various sorts of scrolls, documents and books of hers. Smiling fondly he gently tried to extricate himself from her sleep induced embrace and tuck her into her bed.
Shuurei felt warm and fuzzy, but it was not the suffocating warmth of the summer months or the fuzziness from having a stomach-ache. This was something new, something pleasant. She remembered the sting operation that she and Eigetsu had planned in order to uncover the corruption of the officials in the Finance department.
They had followed the officials under disguise into the red light district where the dealing was to take place. However what she had not anticipated was the strong sake that they were served and they almost blew up their cover because of it. When they finally gathered enough evidence they tried to make a quick a discreet escape. But the brothel was crowded and it would seem suspicious, so as the crowd grew rowdier and more sake flowed freely Shuurei suggested Eigetsu to escape first, not wanting to unleash Yogetsu here.
When she fluttered her eyes open she found herself staring into Seiran's stormy gray-blue ones who were now looking at her intently.
"It must be a dream or why else would I be here in Seiran's arms?" wondered Shuurei. Those warm hands that supported her weight, the gentle scent of fresh cut grass, dew and leather that was uniquely his surrounded and clouded her senses. "Well what a pleasant dream this is, it feels so real. I wonder what those lips would be like though. Would he be gentle? Or would he take control?" a dark blush spread across her face as Shuurei chastised herself at her morals or currently lack thereof. "But this is all a dream...so maybe..."
Seiran held her gently as he tried to gauze her expression and pry into her thoughts but to no avail. Slightly inching away he tried to put her to bed "Milady you really seem tired. Please get some rest" he gently whispered. To his surprise instead, he found her tightening her arms around his neck as she tried to draw him even closer.
"Seiran please stay here?" Shuurei quietly asked. "Yes milady I'm not going anywhere but you need your rest. I will be by your side tomorrow, as always" added Seiran a little surprised by her sudden and unusual request. He remembered the days when she was young and got sick so often. Many a nights he had spent with her soothing her nightmares and sickness away with his presence as they lay side by side. Things were different now, they were older and those innocent gestures of their childhood no longer remained appropriate.
"Have you finally realized that you no longer require us Seiran?" asked a little glassy eyed Shuurei. Her heart thundered furiously, how could she think Seiran would be hers? He was so close yet so far away. Maybe he had found a woman to love? Someone who was as graceful, elegant and kind hearted as Seiran. These thoughts pricked her, she so badly wanted to have him Shuurei realized but even in her dreams he wasn't hers.
To hell with it! Shuurei thought, it was now or never. All those days she had spent thinking about him, his smile, how he was always there for her, how he believed in her when she herself didn't have faith...yes she loved him and she would be damned if she let this opportunity go. Shuurei didn't know whether it was the alcohol induced courage or the way that the moonlight illuminated his presence, that she was being this bold but she wouldn't back out now. She would let herself want, give in...just this once.
Seiran looked at the emotions that flicked so rapidly in Shuurei's eyes. "Seiran remember long ago when we were kids you took me to the meadow by the little waterfall?"
Smiling softly Seiran brushed aside her bangs and said "Yes and I also remember how carelessly you ran after that butterfly and ended up hurting your knee"
"Well you did promise me"
"Promise what milady?"
"That whenever I am in pain... you'll kiss it better"
Seiran's eyes widened at her words and he tried to formulate a coherent reply. He just couldn't mess up her life, she had so much ahead of her with her talent and abilities, he didn't want to hold her back from that promising future that she deserved.
Before he could say a word Shuurei cupped her hand around his face she knew this wasn't any dream, this was real and this was happening. She noticed the almost faint silvery white fading scar that was on his nose, those little streaks of blue that added a sparkle to his stormy grey eyes and suddenly there was nothing that she wanted more than this wonderfully sweet and protective man in front of her.
As Shuurei leaned in and touched his lips, Seiran felt that if he were to die this moment he could go knowing for a fact that for one moment he had been the happiest man alive. Her dewy lips caressed him so sweetly as his grip around her tightened. If this was what she truly wanted then he would give her the best of him, because she deserved nothing less. Even if in the morning she wanted to do nothing more with him he would accept it without any fuss and let her go, grateful for the beautiful moments she had bestowed him with.
All sane thoughts left his mind as Shuurei snaked a hand around his head and tugged his hair. Her taste was heady, the raspberries and alcohol mixed with her own heavenly taste, he felt as if he could go on forever, survive merely on her presence.
Shuurei felt as if she was floating in air, weightless with nothing to hold her down. Kissing him wasn't how she thought it would be. She didn't feel scared, caged or suffocated, instead kissing him...it was freeing. Freedom from her insecurities, freedom from the burden of her job, freedom from all the wrongs in her life and even if this was just for a moment, the memories that they were making, she knew she'd never let them go.
The way he held her so preciously as if she was the rarest of gems made her feel so loved. The way his lips glided over hers like liquid velvet, as if they were meant to seal their hearts together. His breathy sighs encouraged her, if this was the only moment she got then she was going to make it last.
Slowly they pulled apart as their lungs pleaded for air. Suddenly Shuurei pulled his robes and he tumbled over her to the bed. Flipping herself she straddled him by the waist and peppered open mouthed kisses by his collar. When she reached the juncture between his neck and ear she gently nibbled on the delicate skin there. With a hiss Seiran gripped her hands and flipped her down instead. Slowly he eased his breathing and looked over at Shuurei.
Shuurei's eyes twinkling with mischief as she pulled him closer and said "Sorry but I'm not really sorry" silently glancing over the red love bite forming on the back of his earlobe.
"There is no need to be my dearest Shuurei" Seiran silkily replied as he drew her within an embrace as she knotted her fingers in his hair.
This was their moment. They needn't say the words out aloud but the message was clear, no matter what the impending sunlight of the next day brought, they would face it then. For now this was more than enough.