Okaeri

Pt 2 of 2

Once they were safely out of the tub and dry, Koushiro and Eimi wrapped themselves in robes and moved to the bedroom. Koushiro stopped by the nightstand and grabbed the knob on his all-important drawer. Since he couldn't fight the urge to babble, he said, "I hope you don't mind, but I've taken the liberty of purchasing a few items for… for today."

Eimi approached and peeked into the drawer. "Uh… Sexy stuff? Like the candles and the bath bomb?"

Koushiro dearly wished that all of his supplies were that innocuous. How was he going to explain the more risque items? He did so much in the name of being prepared, but alas, his plans hadn't accounted for this moment. "Er, well… yes?"

Her responding hmm filled his ears, rising and falling in a musical way that would have been pleasing without the note of suspicion. "What else?"

Koushiro's esophagus squeezed in on itself. There was no hope of speaking, so he opened the drawer further and stepped aside, gripping the nightstand for support.

Eimi transferred everything from the drawer to the bed, then stepped back to examine the collection. "Okay, um… I get the condoms and lube. And I guess this is a vibrator? But, uh… What is this?" She picked up a metal plug and rotated it, as if expecting to find instructions engraved on the back.

Koushiro cleared his throat, struggling to force it open. While he was hoping to try everything in time, he already had too much to think about now. "Perhaps we should save the, uh, the toys for… later?" he suggested, his pitch unnaturally high.

Eimi stared at the supplies for a long moment, then nodded. "Y-yeah. Uh… Where did you get this stuff?"

Shit. Again, despite his efforts to think ahead, Koushiro hadn't considered this inevitable question. Would the fact that he asked their friends for sexual advice upset Eimi? Flustered, he employed her favorite distraction method: answering the question without offering details. "I purchased them from websites."

Eimi tipped her head and made a hedging sound that launched Koushiro from tense to paralyzed. It signaled that she wanted to ask a question, but sensed that it would upset her listener. As the said listener, that was a highly uncomfortable prospect. "I figured. But you know, that bath bomb… Sora-san keeps recommending a certain brand to me. She said her favorite has heart confetti in it."

Koushiro had no way of knowing if the bead of moisture that slid down his forehead was bath water caught in his hair or nervous sweat. Years of experience with Eimi's conversational skills told him that it was better to concede defeat now than dig a deeper grave for himself, and yet… What could he say? "F-forgive me. I, uh… I'm afraid I asked our friends for advice regarding… today."

Her eyebrows flew up, tugging her top eyelids with them. She looked so ridiculous that Koushiro smiled automatically, easing some of his nerves. "You what?" she cried, making those much preyed-upon nerves pulse like lightening again.

His hands rose, flapping in front of him like dysfunctional wings. "I, I'm sorry! I realize it's embarrassing- I was certainly embarrassed- but, but-" His spastic gesturing drew his glance, and Koushiro forced himself to pause, to think. "I want this to go well," he said at last. "I want… I want to… After all of this waiting, I…"

The words he needed were there, swirling mockingly around him, like a fly he couldn't swat. All of those moments when he needed the right words, but couldn't find them, flashed through his mind. Frustration choked him, overrunning his strained emotions. His hands curled into fists as his gaze fell from Eimi's wide eyes to the floor.

Then Eimi nudged him aside, loading the toys back into the drawer. Koushiro's heart ached as she placed the box of condoms with them. After looking forward to their first time for so long and trying so hard to plan for it, had he ruined everything?

Eimi cleared her throat, and something about her hesitance made him look up. Color blossomed on her cheeks when their eyes met. "Uh… You're saying that you prepared for today. I appreciate it. And actually I, uh… I did, too? A f-few months ago, I started… I talked to Mimi-chan about which, um, type of pill she… So we don't need condoms. I mean, if you want them, that's fine, but I- I kind of hoped we could, um… Without…"

A squeak rushed up his throat, so he clamped his mouth shut and nodded. At this point, Koushiro wasn't sure if he could pull this off. Everything she said, every inch they moved towards the bed, upped his body temperature and anxiety. How much more could they rise before he simply passed out? And wouldn't that give Eimi a great first impression of his skill as a lover?

"Uh, um…" Eimi dithered, then walked around the bed, stopping at the opposite night stand. A speaker waited there beside her cell phone. She plugged the phone into the connecting port and selected a playlist. "Do you mind…?"

Koushiro shook his head and tried to peer at the screen. What kind of music would Eimi find sexy? He didn't know what he was expecting, but the trills of a harp wasn't it. When he cleared away his confused frown and focused, he realized that Eimi valued soothing her nerves above setting a romantic mood.

Insults screamed in his mind, berating him for warping something exciting and sensual into a nerve-wracking trial. If I had just followed her lead back then…

In a rare turn of events, Koushiro's thoughts came to an abrupt halt. Wait… What did we do back then? Each case was different, but his most romantic memories shared common themes: embraces, kisses, affectionate words, all stirring emotions that he had suppressed in the name of safeguarding their futures and his parents' reputations.

Koushiro wasn't sure what would follow, but even for him, hugging Eimi was an easy starting point. Under her uneasy stare, he lit the scattered candles, stored the lighter in the drawer, and drew the curtains shut. The bedroom dimmed, shifting a haphazard space filled with boxes to a softer, more intimate hideaway.

He pulled back the covers and forced a smile, hoping it wasn't too stiff. Following his lead, Eimi climbed into bed. He opened his arms, inviting contact. Eimi scooched closer, but stopped just short of touching him.

Don't be discouraged. Patience is key. Koushiro placed a hand on her upper arm. "Are you alright?"

Looking in her eyes was like gazing through a porthole to view the storm beyond. His concern must have been evident; she winced and looked away. "I don't know," she admitted. "It's just… I'm feeling so much. A lot of it is positive, but I think most of all, I'm… afraid."

Somehow, Koushiro forced a tiny grin. "I understand, but there's nothing to be afraid of, remember? You said so yourself. Please, come here."

She inched closer, and Koushiro bridged the gap, moving into her until their sides touched. Eimi froze, and he cast about for a way to calm her. "I'm glad we can share a bed, now."

A smile played at the corners of her mouth. "Yeah. I loved sleeping close to you in the Digital World. Do you remember that?"

"Of course I do. In some ways…" He hesitated, unsure of whether he should continue. Would bringing this up calm Eimi, or upset her? But she was watching him, waiting for more, so he drew a breath and continued.

"When we were adventuring in the Digital World… It was often dangerous, and yet I didn't worry about you nearly as much as I did in our world. I was with you, and I knew that no one was hurting you emotionally."

Suddenly, Eimi seemed unable to meet his eye. "That's true, but… really sad, somehow."

Koushiro wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a hug. "I know. But my point is that… Finally, after all this time, you're independent. I promise to do everything in my power to make our home a safe place for you. And so, if you don't want to do this now, then we won't."

Eimi's shoulders scrunched, a tightening of muscles that traveled down her body, locking everything down. "It's not that I don't want to…"

Her tenseness triggered a memory, and Koushiro eased away from her. "We should try to relax. Would you like a massage?"

Eimi blinked, then stared in astonishment. "You can- Where did you learn that?"

Koushiro held a hand up, palm out. "Please don't get too excited. At Yamato-san's suggestion, I procured massage oil and watched some videos, but I've never tried it. Still, the only cure for inexperience is practice… if you'd be so kind as to assist."

"You have… really?" Her robe slid as she sat up, revealing a round shoulder. She didn't seem to notice; her eyes were riveted to his, wide and inching away from nerves and towards shock.

Koushiro allowed a rueful smile. "Is that so strange?"

A burst of pale pink covered her cheeks. "Oh! I didn't mean- It's not that-"

"It's alright," Koushiro said, taking pity on his flustered girlfriend. "Because of our situation, I've always avoided… sensual subjects in the past. But I assure you, I'm interested." He reached into the drawer, extracting both massage oil and a bottle of lubricant. "Are you?"

She shifted, knocking the robe down further. Koushiro glanced away from her cleavage automatically, then reminded himself that there was no longer a reason for restraint. Taking his courage in both hands, he slid his fingers beneath the neckline of her robe. That embarrassed flush shifted to heat, and Eimi's eyelids lowered as she glanced away.

"A-alright," she murmured. She made no move to undress, but didn't protest when he tugged at the tie on her waist. There was a sudden shift in Koushiro's blood flow as he peeled the fabric back, revealing her breasts, her waist, her hips.

The distant, far-off voice of his father whispered through his brain, carrying his wisdom. Don't keep compliments to yourself. While Koushiro wasn't skilled at sweet talking, he could relay a thought, or at least, that's what he told himself. The words stuck in his throat, but he forced them out. "You, you're… beautiful."

Pink cheeks rushed to crimson. "T-thanks?" That note of hesitance pained him, but for now, acceptance was enough. At least she wasn't turning his praise away.

Koushiro reached beneath the bed and pulled out an over-sized beach towel. "Do you mind if I spread this over the sheets? It will keep the massage oils off."

Eimi stood, and the robe slid to the floor. Candlelight flickered against her skin, amber spotlights winking in the dark. The harp music had given way to a piano, a slow, meditative melody. Koushiro tried to grab the comforter to pull it back and missed a few times, until he was forced to shift his gaze away from Eimi and to his task.

When the blanket was folded at the foot of the bed, he spread the towel over the sheets, then shrugged his robe off. He was suddenly grateful for the dim lighting. Intellectually, he didn't mind being naked in front of Eimi, particularly when she returned the favor. But eighteen years of modesty, especially around women, couldn't be undone in a day, and the urge to apologize for his nudity lingered, along with vulnerability.

"Please lie down on your stomach." Eimi crawled onto the bed, and Koushiro couldn't help staring at the view of her chest. When she was settled, he caught himself wondering if he could find an excuse to have her turn over, which was hardly conducive to a back massage.

I can't complain about this view, regardless. Since Eimi couldn't see it, he allowed himself a grin as he spread the massage oil over his palms to warm it. When he was ready, he sat by Eimi's hips and placed his hands on her shoulders.

He couldn't see much in the dim room, so he explored with his hands, feeling the rise of her shoulder blades, the soft yielding to her waist. He tried to mimic the movements from the tutorial videos, but soon, the intention of giving a massage was lost beneath his instinctive desire to investigate. His fingertips mapped her body, charting the rise and fall of muscles and curves, noting the subtle textures of her skin. Candlelight gleamed against the spreading oil, until she seemed to glow.

Slowly, her tension drained, and her choppy breathing normalized. Time passed without his knowledge as he worked his way down. When his fingers slid against the small of her back, a low, dreamy moan spilled from her lips.

Startled, Koushiro's hands jerked, and Eimi twitched. "S-sorry!" she cried, shifting enough to glance over her shoulder. A faint gleam lit her dark eyes, just enough to reveal her embarrassment.

Koushiro paused, forcing down his fury with himself. How was he supposed to help her calm down if he was so jumpy? "Not at all," he said at last. "I want you to relax. Am I doing alright?"

"Um…" Eimi buried her face in her pillow. "I'm not sure if this is what a massage is supposed to feel like? I imagined it would be more focused on muscles. But… I think I like this better."

Koushiro was listening, he really was. But his eyes were on her hips, wondering where the light would shine against them if he oiled them up. "Oh?"

"Mm. Your hands on me… It, it feels really good. It did in the bath, too."

His hands clenched, sinking into Eimi's pliant flesh. He exhaled in a ragged breath, wondering when, exactly, he had grown so aroused. This was intended as a soothing exercise, but here he was, worked up to the edge of his control without even realizing it. The caution that had shadowed him for years, demanding that they move slowly, that he protect her from any potential harm, was crumbling to nothing.

And really, was there need for it anymore? He would always strive to take care of Eimi, to keep her needs in mind even when surrendering to his. And this first time, this introduction to physical intimacy, was vital.

But here she was, sighing as he worked his hands over her. Here he was, sliding his palms over her butt, marveling at how soft and full it was. Her hips twitched up as her legs spread, and Koushiro's attention snapped to that sweet, guarded spot, freely offered to him.

Koushiro had never felt so focused and so distracted all at once. That primal self, so often buried beneath consummate politeness, had him grabbing the bottle of lube and squeezing it into his palm. One hand continued to work her butt while the other took a more daring route. Eimi squeaked when his fingers cupped her sex, and Koushiro froze, needing to confirm her reaction before escalating.

She peeked over her shoulder. Though the room was dark, Koushiro could see the interplay of vulnerability and trust in her expression, and he could certainly feel the rising heat beneath his fingers. He heard her swallow hard.

Then her hips shifted, granting him a better angle.

"Eimi." Koushiro didn't hear his own voice; he hardly even noticed scrambling to his knees. His attention was divided between stroking her, monitoring her responses, and the heat spreading from his groin to his brain, setting everything in between on fire. Although they were hardly moving, sweat beaded on his forehead, a vain attempt to alleviate the inferno blazing in his skull.

She was wet, so wet, so slick against his fingertips. They slid over burning skin, avoiding the weak spots he had identified earlier for now, providing just enough stimulation to tease. But when she whimpered into the pillow, something broke inside of him, and he relented. Clever, dexterous fingers caressed that delicate bud, such a small thing to give so much pleasure.

He expected her to shudder. He was prepared for a sigh or a moan. But Koushiro hadn't steeled himself to hear Eimi's voice break as she whimpered his name. His knees weakened, and he was forced to move one of his hands, using it to prop himself up against the bed.

"Turn over," he panted. "Please."

"W-what?" Eimi rolled onto her side, struggling for a clear view of him. Koushiro pressed down on her hip, tipping her in a full arc, moving her onto her back. Before either of them knew what was happening, his body was on hers, pinning her into the bed as he kissed her.

For a moment, she seemed too shocked to react, to even kiss him back. She came back to herself when his hand wandered back to her sex, drawing a high-pitched gasp that morphed to a moan as his fingertips worked her most sensitive places. A strange look filled her eyes before they slammed shut, but that faint glimpse sent Koushiro's pulse reeling. Even he, an inexperienced young man who often misunderstood social cues, couldn't fail to identify that flash of heat and desire as lust.

Koushiro was still processing this impossible information when Eimi cupped his face and kissed him hard, just like she had on Christmas Eve almost three years ago. He considered taking action, pressing this to its inevitable conclusion, but enough reason remained to suggest that Eimi couldn't be afraid or nervous about their first time if he somehow converted that whisper of lust to dire need.

And so, he kissed her until a sweet numbness set into his lips, until he could barely differentiate between his tongue and hers. His fingers worked, playing her like the stringed instruments in the background, waiting for those lovely signs that her pleasure was building to its peak. All the while, he fought the hysterical need mounting within him, promising himself that he'd finally, finally surrender soon.

At last, her hips jerked up, and their kiss broke as her head fell back. Eimi whimpered, and another surge of need, the strongest so far, assailed him. Koushiro scooped his fingers over her vulva, collecting the mixture of lubricant and natural fluids. He swallowed a groan as he spread them over his aching member.

Breathing heavily, Koushiro planted a kiss on Eimi's neck. "Eimi, I… Y-yes?"

He expected hesitance, but Eimi flung her arms around him, squishing him into her. Her hands were flames on his back, trailing a burning path over his skin. "K-Koushiro, please."

Koushiro was too far gone to notice his absolute weakness to Eimi's begging. All he could do was ease her legs further apart and feel for her entrance in the dark. Desire, instinct, need; he couldn't name the mysterious force that overcame his inherent rationality. Gently, he pushed into her, and all voices were smothered by his groan and Eimi's breathy cry.

Her body yielded to his, and everything was heat, tightness, and slick, textured membranes. Although he was hardly inside of her, Koushiro was forced to stop for fear of collapsing. His forehead landed on her shoulder, and he felt her chest rising and falling with her shallow, rapid breaths.

Pulling himself together seemed impossible, but hurting Eimi was not an option. With effort, Koushiro eased back enough to see her face. Her eyes were pinched shut above a clenched mouth, brow indented with deep, stressed furrows. "What's wrong?" Koushiro asked. "Forgive me- have I hurt you?" When no response was forthcoming, Koushiro braced himself with one forearm and used his free hand to stroke Eimi's cheek. Her skin was molten, dewy with sweat. "Does it hurt?"

Her chest lurched with another sharp breath. Koushiro cupped her breast, fingertips pressing against her heart. It pounded through her skin, like a drum beating from within. "N-no?" she gasped.

Koushiro begged his clouded brain to concentrate, to truly see Eimi. Bit by bit, he recalled that she tended to hide pain, especially when confronted about it. "It's alright," he murmured. "You can tell me."

Her eyes darted to his face before pinching shut again. "M-maybe? Yes. I, I- It's so much."

Emotional talk with Eimi was the conversational equivalent of a minefield, but what choice did he have? "I understand. What are you feeling?"

Frenzied, frightened eyes met his, and he held her gaze, hoping to exude a calm he didn't feel. He smiled, and as the moment stretched on, the worst of her manic energy faded, until she looked winded and overwhelmed. "It, it… It feels… foreign? So tight. Like, like my body thinks yours shouldn't be there, and it's pushing back."

Koushiro swallowed a shaky laugh. Her sex was squeezing around his, stroking against his forward motion. For him, the sensation was mind-erasing. For her… He could see it being uncomfortable. "We can stop whenever you'd like."

"No!" Her arms clenched around him, squishing precious oxygen from his lungs. "I don't want to stop." Eimi probably didn't intend to whine, but the tightness of her voice made it sound plaintive. Koushiro twitched within her. Never, not even in his most sexual dreams, had he imagined a lover whining for more from him.

Affection overrode even the pleasure and the worry, and he smiled tenderly at the red, shaking woman beneath him. "Neither do I," he confessed. "Shall we go on? Promise you'll tell me if it hurts, or if you need to stop."

After a deep breath, Eimi nodded. "Okay. What… What should I do?"

His grin went sheepish. "I hardly know up from down right now. Please, just relax. Don't worry about…"

Sadly, that was as much talking as he could manage. His brain blanked, and he kissed her, recalling that he was supposed to be doing something with his mouth. "Relax," he whispered against her lips.

"Um…" Eimi's arms fell on either side of her head, upturned at the elbows. "H-hold my hand?"

Nodding, Koushiro slid his hands into hers and held on tight. Then, with a final kiss, he sank deeper into her. She gasped and tensed, but didn't move away. He buried his face between her neck and shoulder, trying to kiss her skin or do something soothing, but whatever he wanted to say or do morphed into a low, needy moan.

At last, his hips met hers, and he fought the need to collapse on top of her. It was ridiculous; they had hardly begun, and his limbs already shook, his heart was already pulverizing his ribs. Even through the pleasure, panic registered. After making Eimi wait for three years, would he even last three minutes?

Eimi's fingers tightened around his, pulling his attention back to her. "Are, are we…?"

He knew it would be best to look at her, but suddenly, Koushiro felt intensely shy. "Y-yes," he whispered against her shoulder.

Her head rolled towards his, and even with their cheeks pressed together, he could hardly hear her voice. "Does it… Um, is it… good?"

Something between a laugh and a strangled sound burst free. "Yes. Too good, I'm afraid."

Her cheek lifted against his, signaling a smile. Her hands wiggled out of his and rose as she wrapped her arms back around him. "Don't worry. We'll practice later. For now, just…" He felt the lump slide down her throat as she swallowed. "Love me? Please?"

Fuck. Was there a man on this blue earth who could resist that request? Steeling himself with a deep breath, and hoping the oxygen would quiet the ominous ringing in his head, Koushiro did as she asked.

His hips moved in an easy, slow rhythm. At first, Eimi was stiff, sometimes twitching away, sometimes kneading his shoulder blades, fingers digging into his back. Koushiro directed his intense capacity for focus on observing her, both to distract himself from mounting sensations and to tweak his approach as needed. It was simple enough to conclude that maximizing her pleasure meant maximizing contact with her clitoris. With some trial and error, he found a way to stimulate her there with both his hands and the base of his shaft.

Slowly, she began moving into him instead of away. Gradually, her clenched mouth relaxed, and cute, breathy sounds began to leak out. Then he tipped her hips up, landing on an angle that elicited a cry from Eimi that might have alarmed their new neighbors.

He paused as Eimi slapped her hands to her face, hiding it from view. "S-sorry!"

She wasn't looking, so Koushiro allowed himself a rare smirk. "It's alright. I want to hear you." He emphasized his point with a fresh attack on her weak spot and made a strange sound of his own when her back arched, slamming him deep inside of her.

Koushiro's eyes watered with the effort to hold back. "Kou-chan," Eimi gasped, still hiding behind her hands. "P-please-!"

In a clearer state of mind, Koushiro might have spared a moment to reflect on how truly fucked he was. But he was only human, and the naked need in Eimi's voice obliterated any hope of holding back. They had cared for each other for as long as he could remember, and she had likely spoken his name thousands of time. But not like this; never like this.

Koushiro pressed on, no longer careful or measured, unable to study and examine. With shaking hands, he uncovered her face and drank in the visual of scarlet cheeks, pink lips spreading with moans, and eyes overfull with hunger and vulnerability. When their glances locked, she flushed, looked away, and panted, "I, I love, love you."

Any last shreds of control ruptured as his arms wound around her, pulling her in. Koushiro's hips worked without his input, hard, fast, fluid. He had to be crazy- surely it wasn't possible for Eimi to tighten even more- but damn if it didn't feel that way. His body was melting, nerves electrified, pressure building and building until it threatened to rip his limit like a stretched rubber band. And that swelling feeling in his chest, an almost frenzied adoration, wasn't helping matters.

"Eimi," he gasped. "S-sorry, I, I can't-" He cut off with a groan as Eimi's hips moved, meeting his. She pushed herself into him, catching his mouth in a sloppy, teeth-clicking kiss. Then her hands were on his butt, pushing him into her, and that was all he could take.

She cried out as he knocked her flat on the mattress, pinning her down. Each of his thrusts was punctuated by her sweet, needy cries. She clung to him, a shaking wreck so close, so close, if he could just-

Without warning, Eimi's teeth sank into that weak spot on his neck, the one she had loved to target years ago, delighting in drawing surprised groans from him. What had caused a shudder of pleasure back then triggered an explosion now, and Koushiro cried her name as it rushed over him in a series of relentless, blissful shock waves.

For a moment, all he was conscious of was a muted ringing, pleasure his body remembered but his brain couldn't comprehend, and extreme heat. Then his mind blinked back into life, and Koushiro found himself draped over Eimi, body flush on top of hers. Her arms squeezed around him as she peppered kisses on his neck and cheek, breathing heavily, hips still moving into his. With a little shake, he lifted himself with his elbows, suddenly aware of the layer of sweat on his skin and the growing soreness in his thighs and legs.

"K-Koushiro…" Need still filled her eyes, and Koushiro scrambled to his knees. Thinking fast, he moved between her legs and knelt, gently touching her vulva to warn her of his intentions. He interpreted her moan as permission to continue and reverently spread those flushed folds.

A flash of heat seared him when he noticed his semen dripping from her, trickling down to the towel. The enormity of what they had done walloped him, and he swallowed a bemused laugh. Somehow, after years of excitement, nerves, and worry, they had passed another milestone together.

Eimi moved towards his hands, and Koushiro willed himself to focus. "You were amazing," he murmured. Then he bent lower, employing his mouth in a more interesting task.

The first thing that registered was heat and the scent of sweat. An unknown, strong, earthy smell walloped his receptors, signaling the strength of her arousal. Then the taste spread from tongue to brain, acidic and strange.

But Eimi was too far along to last, and Koushiro was still finding his bearings when her hips bucked into his face, rising and falling in convulsions. Her hands flew to her mouth, muffling her cry of release, but not nearly silencing it. Even as he worked, stimulating her until the last waves of her climax died, Koushiro listened with appreciation. The curious researcher couldn't help but wonder what other delicious sounds he could coax from her, and how.

When Eimi was still save for faint tremors, Koushiro kissed her stomach, then stretched out beside her. She nuzzled his cheek with hers, then gave a long, satisfied sigh.

Koushiro wrapped an arm around her. "That wasn't so difficult," he said, but his offhand tone was marred by his grin. Eimi's responding laugh fed his heart, and his smile warmed.

She turned adoring eyes to his. "You were perfect," she said, and for a moment, Koushiro's pulse fumbled. He almost started babbling, pointing out that he had finished first, that there was no way it had felt as good for her as it had for him, and that he was weak with gratitude that things had turned out this well.

Happily, she kissed him, stoppering his words before they started. He was hot, sweaty, sore, exhausted. But as her tongue slid into his mouth, as his eyelids lowered, everything melted into love.

He couldn't say how long they kissed in the dark stillness of their new bedroom. After that frenzied rush, as rewarding as it was, the gentle, peaceful contact was welcome, and those soft kisses led them back to a more normal emotional state. When they parted at last, Eimi smiled, then giggled, then laughed, drawing responding laughter from him.

"W-why are we laughing?" Koushiro asked.

"Oxytocin! Endorphins!" After a few more giggles, she added, "And relief, probably? I can't believe we did so well."

Although he was pleased to have pleased, Koushiro couldn't help showing his surprise. "I'm glad, but- Weren't we a bit… awkward?"

Eimi rolled onto her side and propped her head up with her hand. "Kou-chan," she sighed, cocking a brow. "Of course we were. But we did it!"

Her grin shifted to a shy smile, and she rolled into him. Eimi buried her face in his chest as her arms wrapped around him. When she squeezed him, Koushiro asked, "Is something the matter?"

That bright euphoria faded from her voice. "No. I… I've just… I've been feeling so much, lately."

Koushiro fought his urge to tense. Just when he thought the most difficult part of today was over, Eimi started one of these conversations. But though he was worried, he recognized the value of Eimi opening up to him on her own, unprompted. And so, he kissed the crown of her head and said, "Please, tell me."

"It's hard to explain," she sighed. Her nose rubbed his chest as her head tipped from side to side. "I'm so happy to be independent, but I'm sad to leave your parents. I liked having a family- a great family, I mean."

Koushiro blinked, unsure of how the topic had jumped from sex to his parents. "Ah- You still have them. I know it will be different, since they don't live with us, but we'll still see them."

"I know, and I'm glad. But having adults I trust so close to me…" Her lips curved into a smile against his skin. "Being fussed over by your mom… It was the best. Thank you so much for giving me that."

"Eimi…" What could he say? Koushiro held her, running his hands along her back. Her skin was still slick with massage oil, and he felt a twitch in a spot that he thought was sated. Not now! Focus!

"But I'm also so happy," Eimi continued, oblivious to his distraction. "Everything today- it was stressful, but it was amazing. And I know this… This is the home I always dreamed of, all my life. I'm finally here, we finally made it, and now I… I can't wait to see what happens for us next."

And there it was, that odd sensation that his heart was growing beyond the capacity of his chest. Rationally, Koushiro wasn't sure how Eimi could produce such an overwhelming emotion in someone whose range of feelings was restricted. But he had long since accepted that those he cared for- Eimi, Tentomon, his parents, Taichi and the Chosen- held this odd power over him. "I'm in no hurry."

A shy smile stole across her face. It seemed like she wanted to respond, but her lips spread into a yawn. "Tired?" Koushiro murmured. He understood all too well; after all that fretting, followed by a burst of activity and a flash flood of hormones, he was exhausted.

Eimi nodded, and they folded together into a sweaty tangle of weak, rubbery limbs. Koushiro wanted to remind her to remove her contacts, but those details were already fading from consciousness. The candles were bright blurs in the darkness, and the peaceful music and the lull of Eimi's deep breathing seemed like distant background sounds.

"I love you," Eimi murmured, her tone thick with exhaustion. Koushiro's arms tightened around her, but he was too far gone to respond.

Koushiro smiled as a final thought registered before he passed out. It's alright. Now that we live alone together, there will plenty of opportunities to show her how I feel.

And they drifted off together, already completely at home in their new apartment.

Author's Note: Do not fall asleep with your contacts in and candles lit! Rest assured that Koushiro woke up in about twenty minutes and took care of things. Then they ate the food Kae left them. And then, uh… Well, they likely did more sexy stuff?

ANYWAY, happy Odaiba Memorial Day! I hope this wasn't too much? Too little? Too weird? It was pretty weird for me, haha!

Remember to review, it would mean a lot to me!