Hello, my wonderful readers! I'm back with another one shot! Uhm, I thought I'd try my hand at a lemon. -BLUSH!- Lol, so if this kind of material isn't your thing, don't read. The pairing is Terra and Aqua. I tried to mix the lemon with just a little bit of plot. :x Not sure how I did or how nicely the story flows, so bear with me! Please let me know how I did, and if you'd like to see more of this kind of thing from me. As always, thank you for reading.

-TG

A burst of white light resonated through the Keyblade Graveyard, overwhelming Aqua as she watched Sora plunge his Keyblade into Xehanort's heart with a shout. "Release Terra!"

She shielded her eyes from the impossibly bright light. The other Keybearers around her held their breaths as they waited for it to recede so they could see again.

Aqua gasped and nearly cried out when it was Terra instead of Xehanort that she saw on his knees. Terra was panting, his fingers clenched in the dirt.

"Sora!" Kairi cried, grabbing hold of Riku's arm and running to Sora's side. He had a soft smile on his face, but Riku could tell he was fighting to stay on his feet by the look in his eyes.

"It's over," Sora murmured, looking at his best friends.

"Terra!" shouted Ventus, running and flinging himself into the Earth warrior's arms. Terra gasped, his eyes wide and almost confused as he felt Ven's weight crash into him. "Terra," Ven murmured. "It's really you. You're here."

"Ven..." Terra croaked, slowly becoming aware of what had just happened. His heart hammered in his chest as so many emotions swirled within him. "I'm here." His arms went around his friend and Ventus thought he had never been so happy. Terra glanced up and saw Aqua. Her eyes were sparkling with unshed tears and she had her hand placed over her heart, watching them.

Terra stood slowly, one arm still around Ventus. He wondered why she hadn't approached him. He had no way of knowing she didn't want to disturb her friends' reunion, opting to hang back until it was her turn. "Aqua," he said, holding one hand out to her, hoping with all his heart that she would not reject him. Ventus turned in Terra's embrace and grinned at her.

"Aqua, get over here!" he called. She didn't have to be told again. She rushed Terra then, flinging her arms around him with a sob. Both the boys' arms went around her slim form as she sobbed against Terra.

OoO

Aqua sighed, staring at the setting sun on Destiny Islands. This World was beautiful and the sound of the water lapping against the shore soothed her soul. She smiled, watching Sora walk along the beach with Kairi, her fingers laced with his. Sora must have said something funny because Kairi was laughing.

Riku approached, and his two friends ran to meet him. They spoke briefly, then headed towards their boats to row back to the main island together.

Aqua felt wistful watching the trio. It had been a few days since Sora had defeated Xehanort and freed Terra's heart. She'd been so happy, and Ven...she couldn't remember the last time she'd seen him so happy, so relieved.

They'd all embraced for a long time before Roxas had reluctantly interrupted them, gently saying it wasn't a good idea to linger in the Keyblade Graveyard. Everyone had returned to Destiny Islands, and the three chasers had decided to stay a while, to recoup. Aqua knew Sora and his friends were elated to be home again. It had been so long since the Worlds were all at peace. For a while at least, the three could rest easy and enjoy being together. Aqua wanted that for her, Terra and Ventus, too.

Terra had withdrawn, though. When they'd arrived at Destiny Islands, he'd pulled away from her and Ven. He wasn't avoiding them completely, but she could sense these walls around Terra. Walls that were keeping her from him even when they'd spent hours on the beach together. She wondered if Ventus noticed.

She wanted them to heal together. They'd all made mistakes, and Aqua hadn't expected that moving forward would be easy, but after all this time apart, she couldn't understand why Terra would want to distance himself from them now that they were finally together.

Aqua knew that returning to their home was going to be especially difficult, and she suspected that was why Ven and Terra had agreed so easily to stay on the islands for a while. She had sighed with relief herself when Sora had offered.

She sighed again, returning her gaze to the ocean. The sun had nearly dipped behind the horizon, and Aqua supposed she better start heading back to the main island before it got completely dark. She jumped down from the sideways paopu tree and turned to head towards the dock. She paused when she saw Terra approach her.

"Terra," she said.

"Thought I'd find you out here," he muttered. "Come on, it's about to be dark. Let's head back."

"Terra...did you come out here just to get me?" she asked.

He flushed. "Yes. I wanted to make sure you got back to the inn before dark."

"Thank you," she murmured. With boldness she was not known for posessing, she slipped her hand through the crook of his arm and walked alongside him towards the dock. She could tell she'd

surprised him, but she was pleased that he didnt pull away. Terra, I need you to understand that I want to be here for you. I want to stay by your side. I don't completely understand what you're feeling and going through right now, but I won't let us drift apart.

When they got to the inn, Terra walked with Aqua to her room. When they got to her door, he mumbled a good night before turning to head to his own. Aqua summoned all her courage to make him stop. "Hey, Terra?"

He turned back towards her. "Yeah?" he asked, uncertain.

She slipped her key into the slot, and the door opened with a click. "Come in with me. Just for a minute?" His brows furrowed, and she could sense his hesitation. "Please?" she asked.

Terra nodded finally, then followed her inside. The room was softly lit and decorated in soft greens and blues that were pleasing to his tired eyes. He let his gaze linger on Aqua as she set her things on the desk against the wall. She seemed nervous and tense and he wondered why.

"Terra," she began, sounding awkward and unsure of how to speak what was on her mind. She decided to focus on him, instead. "How are you doing? You seem so far off. I'm worried about you."

He stiffened. She sounded exactly the same as the day she'd chastised him in Radiant Garden. His heart clenched in his chest, overwhelmed by old pain. "I'm fine, Aqua. You don't have to worry." The words came out as cold as ice.

She frowned, moving to stand in front of him. "Terra, please. I'm here. Ven and I are hurting, too. We can get through this, but we need you."

He turned his face away from her, and she could feel his walls heighten around him. She touched his cheek and pressed gently until he turned to look at her again. Tears welled in her eyes and spilled onto her cheeks. "I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you," she whispered. "I'm so sorry, Terra."

His eyes widened. "What are you talking about?" He wanted to wipe the tears on her face, but he stayed his hand.

It was like she could read his mind, like she could feel what he was feeling. "Before, when we were at Radiant Garden," she began, "After we beat that Unversed together. I shouldn't have said what I said. It came out all wrong, and I was wrong. I caused all the tension between the three of us. I shouldn't have doubted you and-" she was hysterical now, her breaths coming out in short gasps. She looked up into his eyes and the stricken look on her face broke his heart. "Terra, I'm just so sorry."

"Shhhh," he whispered, unable to just stand there any longer while Aqua was hurting so badly. He pulled her against him, gently pressing her head against his chest. She wrapped her arms around him, and he didn't miss how she desperately dug her fingers into his back. How could I not have seen their pain? I've been so wrapped up in my own. I never thought to comfort them for all that they've been through. I never thought to even reach out to them for my own comfort...I've been such a fool.

Aqua pushed herself back so that she could look at him again. "I missed you, Terra."

"I missed you too, and Ven," he said. "I'm sorry for being so distant, Aqua. I promised I'd set things right again, and even after being saved, I failed to be there for you, and for Ven."

Tears sparkled in Aqua's eyes and Terra thought they looked like diamonds. He touched her cheeks, gently wiping the tears from her face. She cracked a small smile, sniffling. "I always thought of you as a valiant night," she said.

Terra scoffed. "You're joking, right?"

"Not at all. You're so strong, Terra. So fearless. You strive for what you want. You always give your all, never holding back. I always admired that about you, even if you're too stubborn for your own good sometimes." She was blushing now, embarassed that she'd said all of that, but at the same time, not regretting it.

He smiled, and her heart fluttered in her chest at the sight of it. She realized she was still clutching him, and she eased her hold on him so she could step back, but he pulled her against him again, grinning. "Where do you think you're going?" he murmured, leaning down to press his lips against hers. She closed her eyes and returned his kiss, sliding her arms back around him. His kiss was raw and full of need. He sought her out and she opened herself to him completely. His tongue slipped between her lips and she opened her mouth to accept him. He ravaged her mouth and she kissed him back as passionately as she knew how.

When Terra pulled away for air, his breaths came out short and ragged. He kissed her cheek, then her jaw, then slowly slid his mouth down her neck. His movements were slow and cautious, tender and deliberate now.

Aqua murmured in contentment as he kissed the spot between her neck and her shoulder. Goosebumps rose on her skin when Terra slipped his fingers under the hem of her shirt. His eyes met hears, searching, questioning. She knew he was asking her permission. Her heart pounded as she lifted her arms over her head.

The second her shirt came off, Aqua found herself back in Terra's arms. His fingers tangled in her hair as he kissed her hard again. He lifted her up and carried her to her large bed. He laid her down and was about to cover her body with his own when she wordlessly stopped him.

He complied, not wanting to pressure her if she didn't want to proceed. She saw the slight look of tension on his face and guessed at his thoughts. Always the gentleman, this Terra, she thought.

His doubts vanished completely when she sat up, reached for his shirt and began to slowly slide it up and off his muscular form. She moved into his lap and let her hands wander over his body. She felt his neck, his shoulders and back, anywhere and everywhere she could reach. She would show him how hungry for him he'd made her.

He reached behind her, unclasping her black bra and exposing her breasts. She had to fight the urge to cover them with her arms, but she refused to hide from him. She shoved her self consciousness away and looked into his eyes.

"You're beautiful," he said, gently pushing her down to lay on the bed. She cried out when he took her right nipple into his mouth. He flicked it with his tongue until he had her writhing beneath him. He moved over to the other and swirled his tongue around it before pulling it into his mouth and suckling it, nearly driving Aqua mad. Her nipples were hard mow, and his tongue against them drove every thought except for the pleasure she felt from her mind. That and the wetness that had pooled between her legs. Terra grinned against her skin and began kissing down her stomach.

Aqua's breath hitched in her throat as he hooked his fingers into the waistbands of both her black shorts and panties, pulling them both off her and tossing them onto the floor. He kissed the top of her thighs, then moved to the inside of her knee and gave it a quick lick. Aqua bit her lower lip as his lips traveled slowly, painfullh slowly up the inside of her left thigh.

Terra's head dipped lower and Aqua gasped when his tongue grazed over her clit. "Terra," she whimpered. "Oh, Terra..."

He liked the way his name fell from her lips, and her pleasured mewls spurred him to continue. Aqua spread her legs further for him, not wanting him to stop. He circled her clit with his lips, gently pulling it into his mouth and sucking it, flicking his tongue against it every so often.

Aqua's hands fisted in the comforter as Terra licked her slit from the bottom to the top, then attacked her swollen pearl again. She cried out as an orgasm wracked her body, gripping Terra's head so he wouldn't stop licking her until it passed completely. When her fingers eased their grip in his hair, he slowed his pace, swirling his tongue around her gently until she relaxed. He kissed her clit softly, then lifted himself up and Aqua held out her arms to him.

He smiled, moving to lay on top of her so she could hold him. His hand cupped her breast. "I want you, Aqua," he said. "Now." He got his response when her lips crashed into his and her hands traveled down his body to his crotch. He couldn't take it anymore.

Terra stood from the bed, undid his belt and pushed his pants and underwear down, freeing his erection. He moved back on top of her, spreading her legs and positioning himself between them. His eyes met hers and the look on her face was that of pure desire. "Make love to me," she said.

With that, he slid into her and she held him close. He trembled in her arms. It was all he could do not to ravage her then and there. She hissed when he pushed forward, breaking through her barrier. She had expected some discomfort, but it wasn't anything unbearable. Still, he murmured reassurances in her ear, tracing soft patterns on her body with his fingers in an attempt to soothe her. Once she had adjusted to him, and when most of the pain had subsided, she whispered for him to continue.

She felt so good, so moist and slick and tight around him. He found a steady pace and murmured her name when her hips began to thrust to meet his own.

"Terra," she moaned. "Faster, please." She didn't want him to stop. Her slight discomfort didn't matter, she wanted, needed to please him. She panted, imagining his release, and her desire only increased, making her even wetter around him.

"Hold onto me," he ordered.

Her slender legs went around his waist as he quickened his thrusts. He was panting now, too, losing himself within her. He thrust into her harder, both their bodies slick with sweat now. He could feel his climax building, and when she called his name, her voice lifted with pleasure, he let himself go, shuddering as he released inside of her.

She kissed him after, then nestled herself against his chest when he laid down beside her. "Aqua," Terra said softly.

"Hmm?" she said, closing her eyes.

"You know how you said you always thought of me as a knight?" he asked.

"Yes," she said, laying a single kiss on his chest.

"I want to be that for you. A knight, I mean." He fidgeted with a lock of her hair. He'd never been good at expressing his tender side. "I want to protect you now, like I should have back then. I let the people who mattered most to me down. I can't undo what's been done. Aqua, I just need to know that I have your forgiveness." He crushed her against him. He knew he was being absurd. After what had just happened between them, he should have no doubt of Aqua's feelings for him, but he needed to hear her say it.

"Terra," she said. "How could you think there would even be a chance that I wouldn't forgive you, no matter what? I know you blame yourself for everything, and I know your guilt is why you distanced yourself from us, but you're wrong. We were played. If you want to blame someone, blame the one who did this to us." She kissed his neck, causing him to relax a little. "And, if it's my forgiveness you really need, it's yours, Terra."

"Thank you," he whispered into her hair. He relaxed completely, wanting nothing more than to fall asleep with her in his arms.

"I will hold you to your word, though," she said playfully, nudging him in his ribs.

"I meant every word," he said. "I love you, Aqua."

Her heart leapt with joy, and she tipped her head back, wanting him to kiss her. His lips found hers, then he pulled her bottom lip between his teeth and bit down gently. She licked his lips, then whispered "I love you, too."

Terra reached over her to flip the lamp beside the bed off, bathing the room in moonlight. Aqua yawned and closed her eyes. The steady sound of Terra's beating heart soothed her to sleep within minutes. He stayed awake for a long time, watching her sleep before succumbing himself. His last coherent thought was that he was finally where he belonged.