A/N Sorry for the late update. Been super busy with work and all the insanity of life. This one's pretty steamy so enjoy!
The summer heat was relentless. Saya headed out to join Marva in the garden before the sun made it to the middle of the sky and drove them all indoors until it set, cooling the temperature back down to the lower 90s. Saya wiped her brow as she helped to harvest tomatoes.
She wondered where it was Hagi was going off to every morning. The grapes had been harvested in early July and were now fermenting in the vats. There wasn't a lot to do at the winery and taking care of Fury didn't take all day either. She would stir briefly before the sun came up, when he would place a gentle kiss against her lips before disappearing the entire day. He would return around dinner time, covered in dirt and sweat. He would head for the bathroom directly to take a shower before returning to her embrace. He always whispered, "I have missed you."
She wondered what secret he was keeping from her and she knew that her birthday was today. It was obvious that these daily vanishing acts had something to do with her birthday gift. A smile came over her face as she thought it must be amazing for him to have worked so long.
Saya lifted a full basket of tomatoes and carried them inside to Anna who was prepping the onions that were harvested earlier and added the garlic, spices, and a few more of the vegetables they harvested. Saya loved the spaghetti sauce they made- especially how the smell permeated every inch of the house. Anna motioned to the jars on the table, telling Saya they were ready to be stored. Saya placed them in a crate and hauled them to the basement where they stored the canned goods.
She placed the jars of tomato sauce on the shelf and noticed the jars of blackberry jelly. A smile lit upon her face as she finished putting the jars up and took a jar of the jelly. She gave a thought to what she would need for a picnic lunch for two, but it would be too hot to have outdoors.
She wondered over the idea of having it in their room, but heard her cell phone ring. She smiled as she looked at the display before answering, "Hello, Hagi."
His voice sounded so rich and loving in her ear as he asked, "Hello, Saya. I was calling to ask if you would like to join me for lunch today."
She giggled, "You're reading my mind. I found some blackberry jelly and I was thinking of making some sandwiches for a picnic." She leaned against the wall as she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. It had been a long time since they had spent time together just lounging around and talking and she really was missing his company.
"I will be there in a little while," he informed. "Please give me some time to take a shower before we leave." The last part was almost a question- like he was asking permission.
She smiled and answered, "Of course."
"Happy birthday, Saya. I love you," he said.
She knew he was smiling as she answered, "I love you, too."
She hurried to the kitchen to make his toast and his favorite tea. She took out some left over lasagna, steamed green beans, and mashed potatoes from the night before. Marva loved to tease Saya that she never had to worry about food spoiling because Saya didn't seem to have a preference, but she liked to snack on leftovers when Hagi wasn't there to cook for her and Anna was busy.
She busied herself warming the leftovers as she felt two strong arms wrap around her shoulders and a familiar tall form press itself against her back. She heard his long intake of air as he pressed his chin into her shoulder. Her hands abandoned their task to caress his arms. His voice vibrated through her as he spoke, "It smells like you've been working in the garden with Mom."
She gave a giggle and asked, "I guess I should shower, huh?"
He hummed his response as he began to rock them both back and forth, kissing her neck. He then pulled back to turn her to face him. His arms wrapped around her waist and lifted her off the floor. His mouth pressed against hers, but she took in a breath and scrunched her nose as she felt his sweat that permeated her clothes. She pulled away, leaving Hagi to groan in disagreement. "You stink!" she exclaimed and then added as she pinched her nose, "And you're drenched in sweat and… and what is that… black stuff?"
She was looking at the man she married. He was sweaty to the point where his hair was sticking to his neck- even the locks that were still pulled into a ponytail. His skin was streaked with a black substance that smelled like tar, and the portions of his skin that weren't blackened were an angry shade of red from the heat and sun. She knew the sunburn would fade shortly with his chiropteran healing powers, but he needed a shower and because of his loving embrace- she did too. "Hagi," she groaned as he chuckled.
He pulled her back into his arms and whispered in a husky voice directly in her ear, "Now we both can shower together."
She smiled knowingly and observed, "Oh, you like that do you?"
He nodded against her neck and pressed himself against her. He let off a shaky sigh and informed, "I missed you this morning."
She retorted, "Well, you're the one that left before I even woke up." She tried to give him a cross look, but that heated gaze he was wearing was causing her mind to shut down. Images began flashing in her mind that made her breath catch and her heart race.
He reluctantly pulled away as Anna came into the kitchen. Saya tilted her head toward the bedroom and he followed her with a small smile on his face. She thought without speaking, Shower first.
She noticed the smirk that came over his face as he responded in his mind, That is exactly what I was planning- for both of us.
About an hour later, Saya and Hagi emerged from their room clean and freshly dressed. She groaned, "Now I need to reheat everything." She heard him chuckle a response and she scolded him, "It's your fault, you know." She turned to him with a scowl on her face, but it melted away against her will when she caught the breathtaking smile on his face. She had missed this happy side of him for more than a century. Could she help it that she was so drawn to that handsome face? It made her want to give in to his every desire and even the smallest whim. She now understood what he went through- wanting to be the one to make her smile. Now she wanted to do everything that she could to make him smile, too.
She giggled as his smile intensified. He quickly gathered all their picnic supplies and asked, "Would you like to wait until we get there to warm everything up?"
Saya was confused. She thought they'd be going to the winery, where it was air conditioned, but there was nowhere to warm anything up. She reluctantly nodded as Hagi took out a handkerchief and wound it into a blindfold. "W-what are you doing?" she asked as he moved to place the blindfold over her eyes.
He smiled and gave her lips a quick peck. "Trust me, Saya. I just want it to be a surprise," he informed.
She sighed and nodded as she let him blindfold her. She sensed the pure excitement that ran through him like electricity. This must be some surprise! He led her outside and lifted her into his arms, picnic basket in hand. He leapt to the skies and she felt a rush of wind, knowing that they were now flying. She wondered how long this would take as her stomach voiced a complaint. She felt a chuckle rumble from his chest as he informed, "It will only take a minute, Saya. We aren't going far."
He was right. In another few heartbeats, she felt him come down from the skies and then her feet touched the ground. She felt something metal being pressed into her hand and asked, "Can I take off this blindfold now?"
She heard the smile in his voice as he answered, "Yes." He then added with a kiss to her lips, "Happy birthday, Saya. I love you so very much."
She worked the knot loose, turned to look in his eyes and responded, "I love you, too. I could just be content with only you, Hagi."
He motioned in front of her and commented, "Then I hope you and I will both live happily forever right here."
She turned to the wooden door in front of her. Two roses in full bloom with their stems twined together were carved into the heavy entry door. She backed up to take in the view of the full two story house. The exterior was done in red bricks with windows framed in white with white storm shutters. It was the same length as the ranch house, but the ranch house didn't have a second floor. To the right was a 2 door garage. She saw a white fence that bordered the yard on both sides. She turned around to see a long driveway that ended at the main road, the white fence separated at the end of the driveway. There were massive oaks and pecan trees that dotted the front of the property. Saya finally breathed as she fell against him.
He asked, "Are you alright, Saya?" Concern was evident in his voice as she opened her eyes to him and smiled with a nod.
She responded, "I'm just surprised." She felt his strong arms help her to stand as she opened her hand to see the object he pressed into it earlier. The metal object glittered in the sunlight and she looked at him, "A key?"
Hagi smiled as he requested, "Saya, would you do the honors?"
"Y-you mean…" she began her question and then cleared her throat with eyes wide, "…this is- you built this- for me?"
He smiled and leaned in, pressing his forehead to hers as he corrected, "I built it for us."
She tilted her head and sealed her lips over his. Her arms snaked around his neck as he pulled her closer. They didn't know how long they both were kissing, but when they finally stopped, sweat was dripping from their brows and Hagi nodded to the door.
Saya bit her lip, turned to the beautiful door, and pressed the key into the lock with a shaky hand. She turned the key and gave a delighted squeal as the door opened. She heard his warning as she looked at the entry hall. "Saya, I only decorated the kitchen and the breakfast nook. The rest of the house is yours to decorate."
Her breath caught at the sight of the vaulted ceiling of the foyer and the grand staircase that led to the second floor. The marble floor and glittering chandelier looked exactly like the ones at the Zoo. Her eyes followed the line of the banister revealing 5 doors running along the second floor. He mentioned, "We can see the other rooms later. I want to show you the first floor now."
He led her into an open room that was unfurnished. The walls were white and the floor was a rich oak hardwood. The opposite end of the room had two large windows that bordered a sliding glass door, letting in the beautiful sunlight. Next to her was a large stone fireplace. She smiled as an idea came into her mind for this room.
They moved on to a room that had fewer windows. She looked to him as he informed her, "This is the den. Jim explained to me that it is where the family watches television. I thought that your nieces may come to visit and may enjoy it."
She smiled at him and responded, "I love it! We can watch movies together." She hurried into the next room and found it to be a large formal dining room. She wondered at the idea of the space. Her impression was that Marva would host the large family dinners and she and Hagi would join them.
"I will be entertaining clients from time to time, so we may need to host a few dinner parties later on." She nodded in understanding as she gave him an excited grin and ran into the kitchen, noticing the decorated breakfast nook that was on the other side. There was an oblong table with 4 wooden chairs, painted in a shiny black lacquer. The other side had a bench seat against a large widow that overlooked the north side of the house. The seat was upholstered in vibrant red and the windows were trimmed in a tightly gathered red valence. The tiles were arranged in a checker board pattern of black and white.
The kitchen was very modern looking to Saya. There were oak cabinets that lined the wall done in a black lacquer, matching the black counter top that was dotted with red flecks. The refrigerator, sink, and dishwasher were a stainless steel. She noticed the double oven on the wall and the large 6-burner cook top. Hagi smiled as she took it all in.
"Would you like to warm up the food while I show you the master bedroom?" he asked.
She smiled as she took the basket from him and asked, "Does the power work?"
"They turned it on just before I called you. I turned on the air conditioner before I came to the ranch house to shower up. Our bathrooms are not completely finished, so we cannot move in just yet," he informed as he came to her side and began helping her to warm up the food. "I finished the roof today and will complete the master bathroom in a few days." He pulled out 4 boiled eggs and handed them to her with a smile.
"Thank you, Hagi," she grinned as she began to peel away the shells. He led her across the hall motioning to the side where a half bath for the guests as she popped an egg into her mouth. He opened the door in front of her and let her in first. She brought her hands to her mouth as she noticed the bed in the middle of the huge room. The bed had the same rose design carved into the headboard. She took in the size of the room and then the huge window that faced east. She could wake to the rising sun every morning.
He chuckled as he watched her jump onto the plush mattress and toss around a bit. He couldn't help but grin as she motioned for him to join her. He was on the mattress in a heartbeat, pulling her into his embrace.
She smiled as she took in his scent, her cheek pressed against his strong chest. Her fingers interlaced with his free hand as she commented, "Oh, Hagi, I love this! I can't believe you went to all this trouble for me."
He brought her hand to his lips and responded, "I would do anything to see your smile."
Her hand came up to cup his cheek, letting her thumb caress his lips. She responded, "Just like I would do anything to see you smile. You are so handsome when you smile, Hagi."
They returned to the food and she ate at their breakfast nook while Hagi sipped his tea and slowly ate his toast. She asked about the various designs and he informed her that they were done by various people that he had hired for tasks he was not skilled in. They talked about the design of the house and their upcoming wedding with smiles on their faces.
After they ate, Hagi washed the dishes with a contented smile as Saya checked out the other side of the stairs where the laundry room and the large room Hagi explained was to be an extra room they would use for storage or maybe her canned goods- if she chose to start a garden. They could always decide later. The next room was a home office and she followed her tour by going in to check out the garage. She knew Joel was working on getting her an American social security card so she could apply for a driver's license followed by getting a car.
He buried his hands in the soapy water with a small chuckle as he heard her bounding up the stairs to the second floor, touring each room and bathroom. He was nearly done with the dishes when he heard her delighted giggle from upstairs. The next thing he knew, he was being tackled by a small frame that left a blue streak in the wake of its speed. He fell against the counter, laughing as Saya planted a kiss on his lips and threw her head back as she shouted, "I love this house!" His rich laughter brought her attention to his face and the full smile that stretched across it, causing his steel blue eyes to dance with happiness. She breathed, "I love you, Hagi."
"Saya," he breathed across her neck as he lifted her in his arms. "I love you so much, Saya," he whispered and pressed his lips against hers. They held the kiss as he carried her to the bedroom.
She broke the kiss and teased, "Hagi, it's the middle of the afternoon. Don't you have any self-control?" She caught the look on his face and felt her body react as she seemed to have lost the ability to breathe.
He set her down on the bed as he commented, "I seem to lose my self-control when I am with you." He stretched out alongside her and pulled her into a sweet kiss. He smiled as he spoke, "I actually wanted to show you the master bath as we seem to have missed it on the first tour."
"Oh?" she observed as her finger traced along his jawline and her eyes drank in the handsome intensity of his steel blue gaze. "I think you seem to be more interested in this bed right now."
"Saya," he scolded, "there are no sheets on this bed and it is only 2 in the afternoon."
"Really?" she laughed. "The shower didn't have any sheets, but that didn't stop you at noon!" She let out a giggle as a slight blush colored his cheeks.
"Sa-ya," he scolded. His tone brought on a fit of laughter from the woman next to him. Even though he was scolding her, he couldn't help but feel happy. Her giggle fits and easy laughter were being brought on by him and no one else. He brought her mouth to his as he swallowed her laughter in this heated kiss.
She groaned in disappointment as he pulled away and left momentarily. He returned with a blanket he had brought with him. He gave her a sly smile as he stretched out next to her bringing the blanket over them.
Saya enjoyed the feeling of his strong embrace as his naked body was pressed against hers. She sensed a ripple in the air around them and a red haze colored her gaze. She noticed he felt it too as he stopped his movements and looked out the window. His stoic expression returned as she felt him go "into stealth mode"- as Claudia put it. His eyes fixed on something she couldn't see and he was off and dressed at lightening speed.
She followed by putting on her shirt and shorts and zipped to the kitchen to grab a knife- the only weapon at her disposal. She followed her husband's scent as well as the thought he sent her. He had released his wings and was now flying. She increased her speed as she sped to the other side of the ranch. When she reached the clearing where he was standing, the threat was already gone. He was standing on the top of a hill looking west, his loose strands of hair danced around his face which held the same stoic expression he had throughout the war. His wings were relaxed against his back as she came to his side, snaking an arm around his waist. A strong arm went around her shoulder as she asked, "What were they? Could you tell what they were doing here?"
His eyes scanned the horizon and he saw the small black specks fading into the sky. "They were chevaliers. One was the First Knight and the other had very light hair- I believe he may be the Second Knight of Queen Chasina. They usually patrol together. I think they were observing."
The two chiropteran forms flew across the sky. On was red and black and looked like to a large dragon with huge black wings, the other was silver-blue and slender with a long tail. His wings were attached to his arms and his long snout held long dagger-like teeth. The silver spoke, "Other than my brother, he is the first knight I have seen that is able to seek."
"Indeed," the red answered in a gravely chiropteran voice, "it has been many centuries since I have seen a knight with such a powerful gift. This should be kept between the two of us."
"Do you think they pose a threat?" the silver asked.
"No. The knight has been emphatic about the fact that they only want to live in peace." The red turned and looked back. He responded, "I feel he can still sense us- even from this distance."
"Impossible!" the silver argued. "We are now 500 miles away! My brother knight couldn't seek beyond 100 miles and he was 4 centuries old when he was killed."
"Nevertheless, he is still sensing us," the red informed.
There was silence for a while as they continued through the desert toward the green of California. Finally the silver asked, "Do you think that the young Seer Queens are right? Is he the Black Knight?"
"We know his queen is indeed the Warrior Queen, but I have never heard of a knight that does not take the color of his queen. Even the Rogue Knight, Nathan wears the color blue," the red argued.
"The First Knight of Queen Diva never wore blue," he retorted.
The red scoffed, "I wouldn't count him. He never was a true knight since he never obeyed his queen when it wasn't to his benefit."
Silence filled the air until they reached the green land that separated from the desert. The silver finally responded, "This knight still obeys his queen, even though she has released him. Yet, I have never seen him wear even a stitch of red."
The red could still feel the oceanic gaze of the Warrior Queen's Knight, even though they were now about to land in Hollywood to speak to the young Seer Queens. The First Knight was becoming more and more nervous about this knight's new abilities. How is he so powerful at such an early age?
Hagi beat his wings and carried Saya back to their new home. She kissed his cheek and snuggled into his neck, nipping and kissing it. She noticed he was still holding her protectively and she asked, "Are they still nearby?"
He answered directly, "No, they are over 1,000 miles away now."
"You can see that far?" she asked in shock. "How?"
He answered her truthfully, "I don't know. When I learned to mask my presence, this other ability seemed to come with it. I even felt my speed and strength increase."
She nodded as they landed at the back door. She led him by the hand into the house, watching as he shut the door and locked it. He leaned against it and suggested, "We should head back to the ranch house."
"Uh- no," Saya refused as she folded her arms over her chest.
"Hmm?" he voiced a response as he raised an eyebrow.
She was in his arms in a flash, undoing the buttons of his shirt and kissing his mouth. When she pulled back, her eyes met his. Her mouth was parted and her eyes were sparking red with desire, causing a roaring inferno to consume him with heat. His stoic expression disappeared before her eyes as she asked, "Now, where were we before we were so rudely interrupted?"
