Umi No Misaki - Favor

Chapter 1

Favor and First Time

Nagi peered over the top of the bushel basket full of produce at Karin's smiling face. He had to admit to himself that this was the Karin that he loved the most, more than the reserved shrine maiden, more than the pretty high school student, more than the ditzy neighbor who forgot to close her blinds, maybe even more (though it was a tough call, and he wasn't a person who liked making such choices) than the shy lover, but the outgoing best friend to everyone on the island.

He himself was basically an open person, ever eager to meet new people and discover what their lives were like, but he was in awe of Karin's ability to walk into a crowd and infect everyone with grins. It was unfathomable how it was possible without a single person assuming any open familiarity or anything but the deepest respect towards her. As she walked among them she soon discovered the state of every Granny's garden, every child's favorite toy, every Gramp's health, and what repairs every fisherman's boat needed.

The only thing that made him uncomfortable was that not a single person questioned his presence walking along beside the Maiden of Fire. Maybe they just imagined he was a porter brought along to carry the gifts of mackerel and melons, but the broad smiles and knowing glances directed his way lead him to suspect that his private business might not be quite so private as he might have wished. He really wondered how many of his neighbors suspected that the local priestesses considered him the latest reincarnation of the Dragon God?

The sun was setting as Karin said goodbye to the last group of well-wishers and packed a jar of pickled vegetables into her backpack. Soon the full moon rose over the indigo ocean behind them as they strolled down the road next to the coast. He looked over at her walking next to him and had to quickly swallow back a gasp. She looked so lovely in the moonlight, glowing contentedly as she yammered on about how hard everyone was working to make Okitsushima prosperous. Of all the beautiful sights he had seen since arriving on the island, this might just be the most spectacular.

For the last several kilometers he had pushed back a desire to just drop the baskets so that he could hold her hand as they walked along. The feeling now became overwhelming to do more than touch hands, but to embrace her, kiss her, press her body to his and taste the tangy salt sweat on her bare neck. He wanted... to calm down. It was beginning to become difficult to walk. He took a deep breath. It wouldn't do to have another failure in bed tonight like the first time, because it would make Karin feel she wasn't sexy enough. It sure as hell hadn't done anything positive for his own self-image.

When they reached the house he set the baskets down in the kitchen and began unpacking them. He especially wanted to get the fresh fish wrapped and stuck in the refrigerator, but Karin interrupted him. "Let me put everything away, Nagi. You will just get itchy if you don't quickly get a shower after working so hard in the hot sun all day."

Nagi finished wrapping the fish and went to get his pajamas and a towel. This was it. After their baths it would just be the two of them alone in their nightclothes. He was going to take it slow and not rush things this time. Just sit around and talk and let the night develop with no pressure. "Nagi, can I come in to wash your back?" He jumped splashing water onto the floor tile. His carefully laid out plans crashed as he admired Karin's figure wrapped in a towel.

Carefully he stood and backed out of the tub, sitting on the stool. Her hands ran through his hair, foaming shampoo. They moved down his back. The slick soapy feel was exciting. "Now its your turn." He averted his eyes when she moved in front of him. To look at her now in the bath felt too much like peeping. He ran his fingers through her sudsy locks. A girl's hair, so soft. Not that it was much longer than his own. Not like Soyogi's... Idiot, concentrate on the girl in front of you!

They rinsed off and climbed into the bathtub to soak. Her breasts bobbed on top of the water, the nipples playing hide and seek with each ripple. There was just no safe place to put his feet. Every time he moved, skin slid across bare skin. "Have you been in long enough?" She nodded, looking away. They dried off back to back. He turned around when she began to dry her hair. As she wrapped up her hair with her arms above her head, the bath towel came undone and slipped to the floor. Her scarlet blush spread from her temples clear down to her chest.

Nagi lost all self control. As he stumbled forward he forgetfully lost his own towel. He grabbed and kissed her hard, lifting her feet off the ground. They spun slowly around, their tongues wrestling for dominance. It was only when their pubic regions accidentally touched that they both spasmed and he almost dropped her to the bathroom floor. She pushed him back and whispered shyly, "Nagi, let's go to the bedroom."

Barely able to speak, he croaked, "Yeh." As she took his hand and led him into the hall he got a good closeup side view of her breasts. Firm, perky, maybe not as large as Soyogi's or Shizune's... Damn he had done it again. What was he doing seducing three different girls at the same time? Is there any way this wouldn't end in disaster? Did it make him a cad or a gigolo? At least he wasn't lying to them or hiding his other relationships.

A song kept running through his head. His friends had given him a going away party at a karaoke place before he left for the island. The tune they forced him to sing was an old American rock song. The lyrics were all translated into Japanese except for the one line refrain in English which kept repeating over and over. "If you can't be with the one you love, honey, Love The One You're With, Love The One You're With."

He stopped her in front of the bedroom door and unwound the cloth from her head. She protested lightly, "Your pillow will get all wet."

"Like I care. I love to touch Karin's hair." He placed both hands on her head stroking the damp tresses and kissed her.

She whispered, "If Nagi leaves the light off. We don't have to cover up."

Victory! That blanket was his nemesis. The first time they had tried to make love beneath it, he had been thwarted in every way possible. Undressing himself under the covers on a twin size bed had been awkward, doubly so for undressing her without seeming to take undue liberties with his fingers. Then he had straddled her, but sitting up the demon be-damned blanket slid down and he stopped and reached around to tuck it in around them but it took awhile before they realized that they couldn't do anything with her legs clamped together so he set up again and the blanket fell down and he had to pull it up while crawling between her knees and then he couldn't find where it was supposed to go in and he panicked and she panicked so he finally looked down and sneezed.

"Nagi, your nose..." Embarrassed, she looked away as he felt a slimy stream of snot running down his lip. He looked around wildly but the tissues were not on the headboard. There, on the computer desk. He had last used them going online after he and Soyogi and Shizue... NO! Wrong time to think about that. He hurried to step out of bed, but his foot was tangled in the blanket and he crashed face first onto the rug with his knees still on the mattress. "Nagi! Did you hurt yourself? Let me help."

"No just wait while I get it." He kicked and kicked until his foot finally came loose and he retrieved the tissues. There was a puddle on the sheets between her legs. Got to remember the tissues before making love. He put one down over the mess. It seemed sex was much stickier than mangas made it seem. Placing his fingers on her bare skin was no longer sexy, just embarrassing. But what was most mortifying was when he went to clean himself and discovered that the small dragon had shriveled away to nothingness. The little guy who stood haughtily and stretched toward the sky at the most inopportune times due to the most inconsequential of stimulus now lay limp while a beautiful and willing naked girl reclined next to him. It was enough to make him question his manhood.

Never again! He would achieve total control. This was going to be the most memorable night ever for both him and Karin. Clothes off, check. Tissues on the headboard, check. Foreplay, coming up. Little dragon, saluting proudly. He led her blindly around the end of the bed in the dark. They kissed again, lifting her into his arms. He set her gently onto the bed and she squealed. Something hard on the mattress had goosed her naked bottom.

Karin peered over her shoulder at the unshaven face which sat up next to her. She screamed, jumping behind Nagi, hiding with her arms crossed in front of her, while he balled up his fists to beat off the intruder. Anger, confusion and terror played across his features in turn. "Who are you? What are you...? Father?"

"I must say that I am very disappointed in you, Nagi. I did not allow you to come to this island so that you could just do whatever you want."

Next: Chapter 2

Favor and Sacrifice

"Love The One You're With" by Stephen Stills