Karasuma shifted the warm bundle that was Miss Tsukamoto into a more comfortable position alongside him. The girl in question murmured, proving her faint had subsided into normal sleep – exhaustion finally taking its toll. Tenma tucked her cheek against Karasuma's shoulder, folding her arms tightly across her chest as if to keep the tumultuous emotions she constantly displayed deep inside. Outwardly, Karasuma mused, her face and slight frame bore no pertinent warning of the fiery passion he knew Miss Tsukamoto to have. It puzzled him sometimes that such an energetic girl – the complete opposite of his normal stoic and apathetic personality– could draw emotions from him with ease.
Karasuma reached between the space of their bodies, which seemed to him as mountainous despite their obvious proximity, and gently traced the curve of Tenma's cheek with the pad of his index finger.
"So close, and yet so far away," Karasuma whispered, "You are miles away from realizing the depth of my feelings for you."
Dark eyes glinting, Karasuma tucked Tenma's head into the space between his chin and chest, resting his palm on the back of her head.
Naturally at this sentimental moment, the couch chose to resume its strangely supernatural prodding of his back, finding sensitive areas he did not realize he had.
Sighing, Karasuma gently wrapped Tenma in the blanket and swept an arm underneath her knees, lifting her without any signs of difficulty into the air. Sweeping his gaze over the immediate area, Karasuma located a potentially more suitable location to resume slumber.
"... and then he...with Karen!" Karasuma heard from the back of the house, as he smoothly made his way across the dark living room, stepping over obvious hazards such as cords and discarded books so as not to wake the sleeping angel he protected in the shelter of his arms.
"NO WAY!" Whispered furiously, followed by giggling and cries of hush!
Settling down slowly on a large, plush chaise, Karasuma lowered Tenma into his lap, sliding her legs into a kneeling position, slumped sideways against his chest. The large pajama shirt Tenma wore as a night gown revealed somewhat more of her shapely thighs then Karasuma felt comfortable with, prompting him to cocoon her in the blanket. Despite the somewhat chilly temperature of the house, the silent young man had never had much problem with cold. Also – Karasuma would not admit this aloud – he took more than a little pleasure out of cuddling against Tenma for warmth.
Absentmindedly smoothing her raven hair with one hand, Karasuma contemplated his next action, understanding that this was a pivotal moment – which would make or break the tenuous bond that had formed between himself and the object of his desire during months of courtship, at least he liked to think that's what they shared.
"An interesting development," Karasuma mused, splaying his hands through hair so soft and silky he likened it to satin, or some other fabric that left one with small shudders of content after sliding it across bare skin.
The thought of bare skin reminded Karasuma of the idea he had formed when Tenma had first snuggled up against him, seemingly unaware of reality. Taking a deep breath, building up courage in case his next move woke her, Karasuma swallowed and hesitantly shifted the object of his affection so his face was pressed into her neck. Taking a deep breath, Karasuma's breath hitched in his throat as the scent of wild flowers, the scent of his angel clouded his mind and senses. He became aware of parts of his body stiffening, arms reflexively tightening around the source of his present state.
Trembling with emotion, and unwilling to let nerves ruin a truly once in a lifetime chance, Karasuma coughed and gently pressed his lips against Tenma's neck, steadying himself. The taste of her skin was so much better or worse- in a way, for his body, then her scent alone. Her skin, dewed lightly with perspiration from being wrapped in a blanket, tasted of peaches and some exotic spice.
Karasuma held his eyes wide open, unwilling to release tears that mysteriously swam in his eyes, distorting his perspective as if he was underwater.
Unaware of his emotional turmoil, Tenma stirred in her sleep, becoming too hot from the combined heat of the blanket and the boy holding her. Her eyes blinked sleepily open just as Karasuma sampled her skin, heat flooding the girls face before she even realized what was happening.
"I... need... you" Karasuma finally whispered, his voice cracking on the final word. It still wasn't all he had intended to say, but it was a start, and it was enough to crack the wall that he kept around his most private self, enough to break open the floodgates of his feelings.
Tenma, only now regaining sense, heard only the last three words her crush uttered,
"I love you."
...and felt as if her heart had been replaced by schools of whirling butterflies, dancing within her and filling her up so she didn't know if there was room to breathe. Blinking furiously, Tenma wrapped her arms around a trembling Karasuma and sought to express her overwhelming joy through actions.
"OH – I – TOO – YES!" Tenma whispered as quietly as she could, nuzzling the neck of the one clutched to her as if for dear life.
Karasuma froze; this time himself caught in the act like the proverbial deer in the headlights, and tried to get his heart to start beating again.
"Miss...Miss Tsukamoto!" Karasuma did not move, could not see the look in her eyes until he knew for certain that she did not reject him. Never before in his young life had the usually calm and composed Karasuma felt such anxiety for a response. The milliseconds that passed before she spoke again stretched and felt like years of torment, his heart bare on his sleeve ready for his love to accept it gently in loving hands, or... the alternative, which he refused to consider.
"I love you, Karasuma!"
Karasuma breath came raggedly, his arms splayed awkwardly around the bundle of Tenma wrapped around his midsection.
Slowly, as if he might break the moment, Karasuma placed his arms around his crush, tying her to him with bounds of love. Tightly closing his eyes, Karasuma struggled to contain the emotions raging inside of him, body trembling with suppressed joy.
Tenma, unaware of Karasuma's difficulties, continued babbling incoherently, antenna flapping quickly enough to cause a slight breeze in the room.
Karasuma swallowed as a lump in his throat threatened tears. Taking shallow breaths, he gently rubbed Tenma's back, trying to calm the energetic girl.
"Miss Tsukamoto… please… Miss Tsukamoto…" Karasuma soothed, nudging Tenma in an attempt to loosen her strangling hold. Tenma quieted, eventually, but continued to shake like the last fall leaf on a winter's day.
Suddenly, Karasuma's head jerked up as he heard rustling noises and muffled giggling, followed quickly by shushing. Clearing his throat, Karasuma sighed as the younger Tsukamoto and three other girls, indistinguishable in the darkness, peeked at him from behind the ever-hateful couch.
"Ask him –" One whispered
"No! YOU ask!" The other retorted, staring at Karasuma and blushing furiously.
Yakumo flushed and turned to the other girls, shooing them away with her hands. As they scuttled off, undoubtedly to report their findings to the larger group, Yakumo fiddled with her hands, trying to find the words she wanted to say.
"Um-Karasuma…I…I'm sorry...Sis didn't… didn't really … I mean she didn't invite you over- I-" Yakumo stuttered.
"It is alright." Karasuma interrupted her efforts, the corner of his mouth tilting upwards slightly in the closest he ever got to a smile. "I…Did what I needed to do. It will be alright now." Karasuma looked down at his chest, noting with no surprise that his angel had dozed off again, her cheeks damp with tears, a small smile played on her lips. How he wanted to press those lips against his own, Karasuma realized, feeling slightly shocked at the thought. He had only the purest of intentions for Tenma… surely.
"So… are you…together? Now?" Yakumo fidgeted, looking back into the hallway as another series of hysterical laughter erupted from the rooms beyond. She felt terribly awkward at the moment, wanting nothing more than to leave her sister and the quiet boy to some semblance of privacy.
Karasuma stared into the darkness, unsure of how to respond. A tug at his shirt interrupted his pondering, and he glanced down. Tenma, her eyes half lidded, clearly still asleep but caught in some dream, smiled at him, love shining through her eyes in a way that made Karasuma's heart ache.
"Mmnmn…love you," Tenma slurred, and then immediately closed her eyes and proceeded to snore loudly.
"Yes." Karasuma replied to Yakumo's inquiry, at first tentative but then decisively. "Yes. She is mine alone." The words sent a thrill of pleasure through the boy, and he tightened his hold.
Yakumo gasped, then pressed her hands against her chest and beamed at him.
"Thank you. Take care of sis." She bowed and quickly retreated to the room full of giggling girls, who assaulted her with loud questions as soon as she entered.
Karasuma settled into the chair once again, letting himself relax for the first time in what felt like years. Resting his head against the back of the chair, he slowly closed his eyes and let weariness overcome him, holding a single thought in his mind.
We are together now.