I do not own Sekirei. Though I sure many of you already suspected that.

Chapter 1: Chance Encounter

"Jeez. Is it just me or is this breeze a lot cooler than usual?"

The young man shivered as the light, chilling wind hits his face. He tries to hide more of his face in the hood of his coat, tilting his head slightly to the side in a vain attempt to block more of the wind from his face as he walks home from a trip to the grocery store. 'I guess this is what I get for realizing so late just how low I was on food.' He looks to bags in his right hand, nodding to himself. 'This should be enough to get me through to the weekend in any event.'

He turns his head back forward, checking how much further it was to his street. He lets out a sigh of relief, his warm breath turning to steam, as he can make it out just a little bit further down. 'Only a little farther till I can feel my face again! Which reminds me...IT'S STILL REAL FRIGGING COLD!' He turns his head out of the breeze again.

His eyes catch the park across the street. He knew it very well. When it's warmer, one of his favorite activities was to simply sit at one of the benches and just people watch. When others asked why he would waste time with such a hobby, he would simply say that you can see people do pretty entertaining things without realizing it. Plus, he finds that he can read people and their moods better since he started it up. It's amazed him just how much you can read another's mood by their subtle body language.

Another quick check forward shows he is just about at his street. In less than a minute, he'll be back home safe and sound (not to mention warm). Lost in his thoughts of, he turns around the corner for the last part of his trip.

Only to find himself getting knocked off his feet as something slams into him!

"Ugh..." Is all he can let out as he finds himself face first on the street. From what he could tell, the street was all quiet, save for the sound of a rolling can, which was more than likely one that had came from his now dispersed bag. 'Just what in the hell was that? I didn't even hear it coming down the street...' He let's out a sigh, which he feels bounce back at him, finding his face is still on the soft, warm street below him.

'...Wait. Soft? Warm?'

Indeed, as he became more aware that the 'soft' street should not be possible. Nor should his face have seemingly sunk into it as he felt it encompass around most of his head too. To top it off, would a road have the scent of sweat and faintly of...vanilla?

The realization hit him like a brick to the face. He didn't just get knocked over. He's ended up right on top of another person!

"Ahh!" His hands finding the actual street below him and the one under him, he pushes himself off the person. "Sorry. Are you alr-!" He stop, as his voice catches in his throat and blushes in embarrassment. His face wasn't just on the person before. It had ended up between a pair of breasts!

After a quick reboot of the mind, he practically leaps away from the woman below him. "A-apologies! I did not mean to land on you in such a way! I'm not a p-pervert after all!" he says quickly to her, covering his eyes to hide his flustered expression.

However, he took quick notice that the woman hadn't started yelling at him. In fact, she didn't seem to be doing anything. Slowly lowering his hands from his eyes, he is astounded by what he sees.

To say the woman was underdressed for the current weather would be an understatement. She wore what appeared to be a coat one would see a doctor or the like wear. A good amount of the upper buttons were not in, leaving it open and revealing almost the entirety her large bust. Not wanting to be caught staring at it, should she come to at anytime, he resumed checking on her. Scanning back down, he could make out what looks like dark stains on the coat, though of what he couldn't make out. And continuing downwards reveals yet another surprise.

"...She's not wearing pants." His eyes going wide.

He shakes his head, deciding to go to her side to see if he can't get her awake (and to protect what modesty she had left before she shifts). She was steadily breathing, though it looked like she slipped into unconsciousness during their run in. He took note she was amazingly beautiful, with her smooth, unblemished skin and short brown hair. It was then he glimpsed a bit of red under her hair on her forehead.

Fearing she had taken an injury to her head because of him, he slips his arms carefully under her instinctively, lifting her up into a princess carry. He hurriedly went the short distance down the street to his house, thankful in a small way that the incident was close to said home.

His home wasn't anything fancy. Of homes in his part of North section of Shinto Teito, his would be considered an older, more traditional looking home. Not that he minded that in the slightest. While many other college students either stay in a dorm or find a small apartment, he (with the help from his father) was able to get the little two story for himself. And he loved it.

After a little dance at door, he was able to fish the keys out of his pocket without having to put the woman down. Once inside, he quickly flicks of his shoes and heads into the living room. Gently depositing her on his couch, he goes to a nearby closet, pulling out one of the blankets from inside. She was rather cool when he had picked her up, which wasn't surprising, given her current (or rather, lack of) attire.

Returning, he gingerly places it over her, making sure to cover as much of her as it was able. With that handled, he then moved back towards her head, looking to inspect the red he had seen. Carefully pushing away the hair over the forehead, he found himself relieved and surprised at the same time.

There upon her face was not blood, but what looked to be a red tattoo. Even more curious was its design. A red bird of sorts took the center piece, while a red ying-yang sat below it, along with several more little red marks on each side of that. 'What a strange thing to have,' he thinks to himself. 'What could such a strange thing even mean?'

"Miss?" He gives her shoulder a little shake. "Are you alright?"

She doesn't give him a response. He sighs, "Well, I sure you'll awake in a bit," he assures her, though if she can even hear him is unknown. 'I should prepare something for her to change into when she comes to,' he thinks, blushing when he remembers just how little she had on when he picked her up. 'So smooth...NO BAD BRAIN, BAD!'

Luckily for him, a gurgling from his stomach reminded him that he had failed to make any dinner yet. 'Heh. Guess in all the excitement, I forgot I still haven't eaten yet.' Glancing back to the resting girl, he wonders if he should make enough for her incase she wakes up soon.

GRRRRRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

"W-What the hell was that!"

Body tense, his head quickly scans around, looking for whatever beast has seemingly snuck into his home. It was not long till he found the source.

It was coming from the girl. Well, to be exact, it was coming from her stomach. His eyebrows raised and mouth slightly ajar in disbelief, all he could wonder if the girl had eaten anything in days.

'How else could such a roar of hunger be made?' His eyes lingering on her midsection. It was then an idea pops into his mind. Perhaps he could use her hunger to wake her!

Plan formed, he rushes out of the room and down the hall towards the kitchen. "Alrighty. What can I make? I could probablydo something with the beef I bought at...the...store..."

...

"Crap! All the groceries are still laying out in the street!" Bolting back down the hall and out the door.

Tired eyes slowly flutter open, adjusting to the light above them.

Her first reaction upon her awakening was fear. The white ceiling above her reminded her of the ones she had till recently had seen almost daily back at the labs. Did she get captured, after just making her brazen escape?

It wasn't till she pushed herself up though, that that thought can't be right. The walls weren't the pristine, shiny white walls of the labs. Instead, they looked more faded, without any metallic like shine to them.

What was in the room only solidified that. She found she was not lying upon some hard and uncomfortable examining table, like she had sat or laid down on many times before. It was way too comfy for that after all. She took to a more adequate sitting position, shifting her legs off the side, keeping the blanket moving along with her legs.

The medical equipment and cabinets were also gone. Wooden shelves lined with books and several photos taking their places instead. A fairly large tv sat across from the sofa, with a decent sized table between it and her.

It was as she examined her surroundings that something else caught her attention. Her nose twitched as a smell wafted into her nose. Her stomach roared out in hunger, surprised in just how loud it was.

"Oh!" An unknown voice came from her left. "You're up!"

Head turning towards the source, she finds a young man. He certainly looked nothing like any of the doctors back at MBI, with his short, slightly disheveled brown hair, hazel eyes, and smooth face.

"You know," he continued on," I was really starting to worry if you were going to wake up soon. Was afraid you might have needed to go to an actual hospital or something."

She simply continue her neutral gaze, not sure if she should trust anything he is saying.

The young man looked uncomfortable as she continued her observation of him. But she found herself looking at what he was apparently carrying in with him. And though she didn't say anything, her hunger was ready to speak for her, letting out a monstrous roar once more.

They locked eyes again. He chuckled a bit, as he looked from her to the food and back.

"Yeah... It was doing that to while you were out too. Figured you be starving should you have woken up." He then enters the room, moving closer to her as he goes to place the tray on the table.

She watches as he begins fixing two bowls of food. It wasn't fancy looking, but it certainly looked more appealing than what was served back in MBI's cafeteria.

Lost in thought, she didn't see the steaming food placed in front of her on the table. She looked at it, before her blank face turned to the boy. He gives her a reassuring smile.

"Go on. It's best while it's still hot."

She didn't respond as she gazed down at the food again. Why was he helping her? Why be so friendly to her, who was nothing but a failure?

Why?

He sat there watching her, whom had yet to say anything since she had woken up. Heck, she hadn't even so much as changed her expression, like it was perpetually frozen to her face.

'She probably doesn't trust me,' he mused. 'I mean, this isn't a situation most expect to end up in.'

A realization came to him. He still had yet to even introduce himself. "Oh, pardon me. I should have figured you would be wary about awakening in someone's home who you don't even know their name," rubbing the back of his head in his embarrassment. Giving a small bow of his head in courtesy, he continues. "My name is Ryu Tanaka. Might I ask what your name is Miss...?"

She looked him in the eyes. Though it looked as if she was keeping her emotions in check, he could read from the eyes themselves that she was looking at him in a more scrutinizing manner, as if looking for any deceit in his words or actions.

This went on for what seemed like forever, till she slowly turned back silently to the food before her and prepared to start eating.

Ryu sighed internally. 'Guess she isn't going to even tell me what her na-'

"Akitsu."

He blinked. It wasn't very loud, barely over a whisper, but he did hear it. She told him her name!

"Akitsu, huh?" She gave a small nod in acknowledgement, to which he gives a small smile. "It's a pretty name."

Authors Note:

Hi everyone. Thanks for taking the time to read my new story here. As you can see, we're starting it with our hero and his (literal) run in with the maiden of ice Akitsu. And yes, they didn't meet at the bench in the park like many times before. I figure, what might have happened if she had met someone before getting there. Hopefully it came across alright.

Also, some of you might have read my other story, which hasn't been updated in sometime. Way too long really. Well, some good news then for you! I have finally started to work on that long awaited chapter 3. I estimate it's about a quarter of the way done for what I have planned for it. I feel bad for making you wait a bit longer for it, but I wanted to finish working on this. This story was a way for me to get back into the groove of writing and to get my mind working creatively again.

Till next time! Please follow/review/favorite if you like what you see. I also welcome any constructive criticism. Me improving my writing can only end up providing you in turn with an even better story after all.