Chapter 3

Natsumi's embrace

It was nearly midnight when Natsumi finally came home from the hospital. Tired and weary she headed up stairs to her room to sleep. She almost made it to the door when she was stopped by her mother in the hallway.

"Natsumi, remember what the doctor said now, don't go seeing that boy for a while. you know it's for the best." Aki looked worriedly at her daughter. "If you need anything just tell me, or there are plenty of frogs slinking around here who would be more than happy to help too." She gave Natsumi a hug before sending her off to bed for the night.

"Thanks mom. I honestly don't know what I was thinking... But at least now I know why I was sick." Natsumi sighed. "Goodnight." Natsumi walked into her room and closed the door behind her. She inhaled its familiar smell and exhaled slowly. She looked around the dark room for a moment and slunk down to sit on the floor. She leaned against her bedroom door and stared blankly into darkness. Tears filled her eyes as she sat there, clutching her knees, but not a sound was heard as she sat there, silently crying.

downstairs, Giroro was sitting outside his tent, polishing his guns as he usually does. He knew the Hinatas were already home, and that Natsumi was in her room, but he didn't see her turn her light on. Maybe she's just tired. But i'm worried... He thought to himself, putting his gun down for the night. "I should go and see what's up." He was about to jump onto his skimmer when he heard something behind him.

"Ku ku ku. i wouldn't do that if I where you." Kururu came out from behind Giroro's tent. "She's not in any mood to see anyone at the moment." He said in his usual monotone voice.

"Why? What's the matter with her?" Giroro tensed up at Kururu's words.

"Well, I don't blame her, would you?" He gave a sickishly sly smile, swirly glasses glaring brightly in the moonlight. "After all, who would want to be seen after they have just been raped and humiliated by the one they loved?" His smile faded.

Giroro stood there, shocked for a moment, but it quickly turned to anger. He was two seconds away from strangling Kururu, but he knew what happened and needed him to tell him. "What do you mean 'raped'? You can't seriously mean-"

"Violated, tortured, defiled? I mean all those things, and more. Ku ku~" Kururu trotted over to Giroro's side and pulled out his laptop. " Here is what happened. I'm sure you would like to see it, though it is rather, shall we say, graphic." He opened the computer's files to reveal one that showed a video. It started off calm, Giroro could see there wasn't anything alarming yet. The picture showed Natsumi quietly studying in her room. The time showed 11:43 P.M. and she was hard at work. A few minutes passed and there was a knock at her door, Natsumi got up and answered it. She walked back over to her desk ans closed her textbooks as someone entered her room. It was defiantly male judging by the posture and clothing. Giroro was displeased by this already.

"Who the hell is that in Natsumi's room?" Giroro shouted at the computer, enraged at the thought that another man even set foot in her room.

"Watch, Corporal." Kururu redirected his attention. The video continued with Natsumi sitting on her bed and the male sitting next to her. The conversation started out calm and friendly, but Giroro could notice that Natsumi looked a bit uncomfortable. Natsumi looked a bit flustered as she shook her head profusely. She quickly stood up and pointed at the door for the person to leave, but he did not move. Natsumi took a step back but was suddenly brought back down to the bed. He lay on top of her, violently ripping off her clothes and forcing kisses around her jaw and neck. His hands ravaged her bare skin as she tried desperately to fight back. Just then, the audio kicked on and it could all be heard.

"It wouldn't be very good for you to make too much noise, Natsumi." The man spoke, it was familiar. Giroro's blood instantly boiled as he suddenly knew who that was ravaging his beautiful Natsumi's body.

"Saburo..." Giroro growled.

The video continued to play. The noises were distinct, Giroro could hear every scared whimper as well as every gasp of breath as this boy violated and tortured Natsumi. Saburo held her down with one hand as he messed with his pants with the other, he had only unzipped them enough to do what was necessary. Natsumi whimpered and cried silent tears as she felt Saburo's hardened member gliding down her stomach, reaching closer and closer what she was so desperately trying to protect, but he stopped, sliding it back up her stomach, caressing her with it. He sat farther up, placing his throbbing cock at her lips, forcing them open to take him in. He made sure she swallowed him whole. Minutes had passed before he finally pulled out of her mouth, dripping with silyva. He brought himself back down and placed his slick head just at the entrance. He rubbed her up and down, slowly parted the lips and sliding it across her clit, making her legs twitch. He was almost there, just one thrust and it was all over for Natsumi, but something stopped Saburo from completing his task. There was another knock at the door, followed by a voice; her mother's voice. Saburo was quick to gather himself and jump out the window before Natsumi had any time to react to her mother's call. The video ended there.

Giroro sat there in shock, disgust, rage, and sadness. He looked at Kururu who merely looked at his computer with a quite look. "Why, Kururu?" Was all he managed to say.

Kururu sighed and shut his laptop, standing up to leave. He paused for a moment to look back at Giroro who was still sitting there, staring at the ground. "Why Saburo did that is beyond me. There's no telling if he will do it again or not. What I do know is that I would never wish that upon anyone of my friends, even our summer devil." For only the slightest moment, Kururu actually showed remorse. "Ku Ku~ However, this video is going on the 'keep' shelf in my laboratory." The kindness didn't last long. And with that, he headed back down the portal to his lab.

Giroro sat there for a few minutes, thinking about what he just saw. That this went on right under his nose, and he couldn't do a shingle thing about it. That video played over and over again in his head, torturing him. He suddenly remembered that Natsumi came home and was in her room. He hurried to jump on his skimmer and flew up to her window. When he got up there, he tossed the craft aside and let himself in, throwing the door open with rage and worry. Natsumi was startled and jumped. She looked to her window scared that 'he' was back for more. But when she looked up she saw that it was only Giroro. Relieved, she smiled and dried her tears.

"Giroro..." She said, her voice chocked from crying.

"Why didn't you cry for help?" He said, quietly, angrily. Natsumi paused.

"W-what?"

"Why didn't you call me for help?" He looked up into her tear filled eyes with anger. "I would have stopped him from- from-..." Giroro stuttered, chocking back tears of his own.

Natsumi couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You... You know about that?" She asked, trying not to cry.

"Kururu showed me. I saw who- I-..." Giroro turned away, he didn't want Natsumi to see him cry. He was so enraged that he couldn't hold back such overwhelming emotion.

Tears started falling from Natsumi's eyes. She sobbed into her hands and clutched her knees to her chest. "You saw? You saw me? You saw... that?" She felt embarrassed. "You saw me like that... I- I feel so..." She sobbed harder. "I didn't want that to happen. There was nothing i could do. He said if I made any noise... He said..." She looked up at Giroro who was looking straight into her eyes.

"Natsumi..." Giroro couldn't take this anymore. Her sadness was killing him. He gave into his emotions and slumped his shoulders. He looked directly into Natsumi's sad, beautiful eyes, lit only by the moonlight that penetrated the darkness. Even in her sadness, those pools of amber could hide no beauty. She was the most perfect being in his eyes. He stepped closer to her, reaching out his hand to grab her, but stopped and thought about what he had seen and backed off. She probably didn't want anyone to touch her. But as he was bringing his arm back from her, he felt her grasp his hand in hers. His eyes widened and his heart skipped a beat. "N-Natsumi..."

"Please, Giroro... Please just stay here for tonight? Just tonight." Natsumi said, crying softly. She didn't want her mother to hear and come in her room. She would probably flip if she found out that Giroro was in there.

Giroro stood there in absolute shock. If it were any brighter in that room, Natsumi was sure to see that Giroro's face had turned into an even brighter red than his skin. He stuttered a few incoherent words for a moment before Natsumi picked him up and carried him over to her bed. N-N-N-Natsumi... Natsumi's bed... I can't believe this. I'm going to sleep in the same bed as Natsumi... Giroro mused to himself.

She set Giroro down on the outer edge of her bed and crawled under the covers on the other side. She held up the corner of the blanket inviting Giroro to join her. Giroro was hesitant only at first before happily laying down next to his beloved and curling up in her arms. Pure bliss. Giroro was in heaven. He was in Natsumi's warm embrace, under the same blanket, in the same bed. He turned and faced her, she still had those sad, scared eyes. Giroro's heart melted. He couldn't stand to see his strong warrior being so scared and helpless. He reached one hand up and placed it lovingly on her cheek and said; "Please don't cry or be afraid, Natsumi. You're a strong warrior who knows no defeat. I promise that I will always be there to protect you no matter what." He trailed his hand down her cheek and held it over her heart. "This is the heart of the strongest soldier I know, don't let anyone break your courage." His own heart was racing as he touched her so lovingly. He was so happy to be able to share this moment with Natsumi.

Natsumi blushed and gave a smile as she heard Giroro's kind words. She felt better knowing she had her little red warrior there to protect her. "Thank you, Giroro." She wrapped her arms tightly around him and held him close. "You always know just what to say, don't you?" Natsumi fell asleep smiling.

Giroro's heart fluttered when he heard her say that. It fluttered as she fell asleep holding him. It has to be a dream. This can't actually be happening. He thought to himself, staring at her sleeping face in absolute awe. Natsumi. My Natsumi. He reached his hand up to once again caress her cheek, tenderly tracing her jawline. I will always be here to protect you. Giroro brought his face closer to hers and closed his eyes as he gave her a tiny kiss on her soft lips. His face flushed and his heart raced. He never imagined would be like this. He had finally done it; he had finally kissed her. Now, there was only one thing left to do. "Natsumi," He began in a soft tone. "I've been meaning to tell you something, but I've never had the courage... Though you are sleeping and cannot hear what I am telling you, but I will say it." He felt confident that he could tell her now, she was asleep so she couldn't turn him down or smack him into the next room just for being so foolish. He's waited too long for this moment to pass it up, this was the perfect chance. "Natsumi, I love you." He managed only a whisper, but at least he finally told her.

Natsumi moaned and squeezed onto Giroro tighter. She had a smile on her face as she was sleeping. It seemed that her night terrors were finally over. Giroro was happy that Natsumi was finally happy. He curled up into her arms and fell into a deep, relaxing slumber.

"Ku ku ku~ This is getting very interesting... I wonder how long this can go on before our Corporal, ku ku~, snaps?" Kururu's devious laugh echoed in his dark laboratory. He was watching Giroro and Natsumi on the surveillance cameras he had set up in various places of Natsumi's bedroom. "We shall wait and see."