Love Confession
A/N: Alright, here it is. Obligatory love confession chapter. It should be noted that from this point on there will be some pretty hot and heavy sexual content. Not every chapter will have smut, but several will.
Anyway, thank you all for the continued support.
Timeline: Mid-May.
Though he usually ignored the ringing and let it go to voicemail during work, something inside of Tedachi told him to answer his mobile, especially when his mother's name flashed up on the caller ID.
"Hello?" He said as he answered, looking around the garden to make sure he was alone.
"Tedachi?" Naoko asked, her voice cracking.
"Mum? What's wrong?!" He asked, a wave of panic washing over him as he caught the pain in her voice.
"It's your brother…He…This morning…There was…" She stuttered as she struggled to find the words and only ended up sobbing.
"Mum?" He insisted, waiting as he heard hushed voices before his sister's voice came over the line.
"Tedachi? It's Miyuki. Ryuji was in an accident this morning."
"What?"
"We're still not sure what happened, but his car is in pretty bad shape. He's in hospital now, we all are, actually."
"I'm on my way. Can you send me the address?"
"I'll text you," Miyuki replied.
"Thanks," He said as he hung up and took in a breath to compose himself. To say he was worried would be putting it lightly. He was absolutely terrified, especially because she hadn't mentioned how Ryuji himself was doing, presumably because they didn't know either. Without a second thought, he promptly dropped what he was doing and headed into the house, finding Akito meeting with a handful of the Sohma accountants in one of the side rooms.
"I'm sorry to interrupt," He said as he opened the door. "But, I need to speak with you."
He didn't need to address her for Akito to know he was talking to her. For a moment, she thought about sending him off, but stopped herself when she caught the tone in his voice and followed him without another word.
"What's wrong?" She asked carefully.
"There's been an accident. My brother's in hospital. And I…"
"Leave," Akito interrupted.
"What?"
"Leave. Go be with your family. I can relay the information to everyone else."
"Are you sure? I…"
"Tedachi," Akito said firmly, setting her hands on his shoulders. "Go. Your family needs you right now."
There was a long silence as he met her commanding gaze and contemplated his options, soon giving a nod in response and muttering words of thanks before heading off and leaving her to her meeting. 'I almost can't believe it was that easy. She didn't even question it! Then again, I'm sure she would have been able to tell if I was lying or not. Miyuki does say that I'm really bad at it…' He thought, looking over his sister's text on the way out and running over a few routing options in his head as he headed up the street, his foot tapping impatiently as he stood on the train twenty minutes later. He tried his hardest to swallow his worries, but couldn't stop the nervous habit from cropping up as the worst came to mind. 'Stop, dammit! You're making it worse than it has to be!' He scolded himself with a sigh, deciding to force himself into thinking about something else, if only to calm his nerves. However, the only other thing he could think of was the dark gaze of the woman who'd practically demanded he leave and go where he was needed. He was used to being bossed around with hard glares, it was simply part of the job, but this time had been different. Behind that firm stare he'd seen a hint of concern, and just a small smidgen of encouragement that let him know that it was okay for him to leave. That no questions would be asked because she knew he was telling the truth. He soon realised that it wasn't the first time he'd seen multiple, contradicting emotions in her eyes. He didn't know how he'd picked up on it, but he could tell the difference between her genuine and forced smiles. When they were real, her eyes lit up with nothing but pure happiness. It was a rare occasion that he cherished, especially when those happy eyes were directed at him, which seemed to be happening a lot more lately. At times he wondered if maybe there was something more there.
'Wait…What the hell am I thinking?!' Tedachi asked himself as he shook off the thought. Of course she had been happier lately, everyone was. It was the warm weather and nothing more. 'She's probably just happy that she's able to be outside more…There's hardly a day where she's not in the garden, looking absolutely beautiful surrounded by the flowers and sunlight…She actually puts those flowers of hers to shame…' He smiled at the thought for a moment, the smile fading once he realised exactly where his mind was going as he shook that idea off. 'Dammit! What is wrong with me? I shouldn't be thinking about her that way! Especially not at a time like this…And we're back to Ryuji. So, let me get this straight…I only have two choices here…Think about my brother or think about Akito…What the hell, brain?'
"Tedachi!" Miyuki called some time later waving to him from outside the hospital entrance.
"Miyuki, what are you doing out here? Where are mum and dad? How's Ryuji? What happened exactly?" Tedachi asked, setting two firm hands on her shoulders.
"Whoa. One question at a time, little brother."
"Fine. What happened?"
"We don't have all the details, but apparently he was hit from the side. He has a few broken ribs and stitches. And a broken arm. But, he should be fine. The doctor said he could have visitors soon."
'Thank God,' Tedachi thought, letting out a sigh of relief. "In that case, I'm going to assume mum and dad are inside waiting."
"Right. I came out here because hospitals can be too much for me sometimes."
"I know. You hate blood."
"And death."
"Let's not go there," He warned as he reached for his sister's hand, a habit they'd had since they were little. Neither was fond of hospitals for several reasons, and they simply found it easier to face it together whenever they could.
After giving their information at the desk, they headed back up to the floor where their parents were waiting, Naoko immediately standing to throw her arms around her youngest son.
"You did come! They didn't give you any trouble at the main house, did they?"
"No. I was just told to be with you guys," Tedachi replied as his mother stepped away. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah…I'm doing alright now. I'm sorry about earlier…Everything was still fuzzy and they weren't telling us anything."
"It's fine. You don't have to apologise for being worried."
Naoko gave him a soft smile and ruffled his hair. "I love you."
"He's not a kid anymore," His father, Daisuke, teased lightly.
"Maybe not. But his hair hasn't changed."
"It's fine," Tedachi laughed. "If it makes her feel better, I'm all for it," He said with a shrug just as a doctor stepped out and motioned to them.
"And who are you?" He asked of Tedachi.
"Tedachi Sohma. I'm Ryuji's younger brother."
The doctor simply nodded and then looked at the group. "He can have visitors now, but it's going to be family only for a few days."
"Days? How long do you intend to keep him?" Daisuke asked.
"At least a week. There are still tests that need to be ran and we want to make sure he'll be stable. Sometimes accidents like this can have some after-effects. But, from the look of things, he'll be just fine. He's young and in good health, which works in his favour."
"Thank you," Daisuke said with a nod that the doctor returned before heading off. He then turned to his other children and said, "It'll probably be better if we all go in individually. Miyuki, you can see him after us."
"Right," Miyuki nodded and took her brother's hand again, leading him over to sit while their parents headed into the room. As soon as they left, Miyuki headed in, followed by her younger brother, who approached rather cautiously.
"You can sit you know," Ryuji said. "And you don't have to be so cautious. It's not like I can bite or anything."
'Same old Ryu…' Tedachi thought, shaking his head with a laugh as he took a place next to the bed, where his brother sat, propped up by a series of pillows. "So…Stupid question. How are you feeling?"
"Aggravated mostly."
"What happened?"
"Even I'm not sure. All I know is that my signal told me to go, and as soon as I did, I got sideswiped on the passenger side."
"And the other driver?"
"I don't know. They didn't tell me anything. And, I probably don't want to know anyway. But, enough about this. Why don't you tell me how things are going for you?"
"Things are fine."
"And the job?"
"It's better now that I'm working outside. Staying inside all day during the winter was a bit stifling."
Ryuji gave a small laugh. "That sounds about right. You were never one to stay inside when you didn't have to. But, come on. It couldn't have been all bad staying in the house with all those pretty maids."
"Do you ever not think about women?" Tedachi asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes. When I think about food," Ryuji joked. "Don't act like you don't think about women. There's someone you're thinking about right now."
"What?"
"I've been able to see it for awhile now."
"But how…?"
"I'm your brother. Plus, I've been there. So, who is she?"
"No one."
"Are you…?"
"I'm sure, Ryuji."
"Alright. I won't press…Mainly because I need a few favours. The arm I broke was my writing arm. I need someone to fill out some paperwork and take care of things at my job. Plus, my rent is due in two days and I can't very well pay if I'm stuck here."
"It's fine. I'll take care of it," Tedachi said as he took out his mobile and typed his brother's requests and information into his reminders.
"Are you sure you're okay with this?" Ryuji asked, mainly for his own assurance. He absolutely hated depending on other people, but knew that he didn't have a choice in this matter. So, he figured he would make the best of it and at least make sure the important stuff got taken care of, even if he couldn't do it himself.
"What are brothers for?" Tedachi replied with a smile as he stood. "I'm going to go check on that paperwork. I'll come see you tomorrow with an update."
Ryuji simply nodded as his brother left to gather some information from the doctors and nurses, which he sat going through later that night at his parents' house, having opted to stay there due to its closeness to the hospital and Ryuji's office.
'Man they're thorough…' He thought as he flipped pages, looking up when his mobile went off. He raised an eyebrow at the unknown number, but answered anyway, his instinct telling him that it was important.
"Hello?" He asked.
"Tedachi?"
"Akito?!" He said once he processed the voice. He then briefly pulled the phone away from his ear to glance at the number again, soon figuring that it had to be her private mobile number, as, he already had the number for the main house.
"That's a lovely way to answer the person who signs your paycheck…" She commented.
"Sorry. I just didn't expect you to call…" He managed to spit out as an excuse, trying his hardest to ignore the way his heart beat a little faster with every word she spoke. He was beyond touched that she cared enough to call him personally, since he knew she had plenty of other maids who could have been on the other end of the phone.
"I just wanted to know how things are on your end. Will you be back tomorrow?"
"No. I actually won't be back for a few days. I have some things to take care of for my brother. That's okay…right?"
"That's fine. I'll just have to rearrange some schedules and lists. You'll ring when you're ready to return, right?"
"Of course," He said with a nod that she couldn't see, thinking, 'I can't believe she wants me to call back. And, she sounds concerned…It's almost as if she's worried I won't come back…'
"When you do, call this number. I want to be the first to know. Some of the girls have a habit of not passing on messages."
"Alright. I promise I'll let you know."
"Good. Thank you."
At that, she hung up and he stared at the phone for a minute before quickly shaking his head and returning to the paperwork, trying to keep his mind focused on it and the favours he was meant to do for his brother until deciding to head to bed early, knowing there would be a lot to handle the following day. However, as he drifted off, he found that he couldn't truly push away the thoughts of a certain, dark-haired woman, especially when he found himself trapped by her gaze in his dreams.
For some reason, they were tangled up on the sofa in his flat, him hovering above her as she looked at him through her lashes, wordlessly giving him the permission he sought, wrapping her arms around his neck before accepting his long, lingering kiss.
He moaned against her lips as his hands slid up her back, smiling at her startled gasp as he took his lips to her neck and pulled at the fabric of the strapless, black cocktail dress she was wearing. Then, the satin barrier disappeared along with the rest of their clothes as they shared another passionate kiss, Akito giving a soft moan when his hand slipped between them.
"Tedachi, please," She begged, throwing her head back when he hit just the right spot. "I need you…Now."
He responded by pulling her in for another kiss as he slowly slid into her, relishing in every little sound coming from her lips, especially when those moans slowly melted into his name as she screamed out her release, her eyes glassed over with pure pleasure and love.
Tedachi woke with a start and a groan as he put a hand to his head, the other twisting in the fabric of the sheets as he tried to steady his breathing.
'Holy shit! What was that dream?! Oh, God. How the hell am I going to face her after that?!' He thought as he lay back down, soon finding that sleep wasn't going to come easy. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw hers, dark and alluring, until he eventually gave up and ended up asleep from exhaustion around five AM, only to be up again three hours later to gather up all the paperwork he had filled out before starting on the list Ryuji had given him, his first stop being the office in which his brother worked.
"Please tell me you're joking…" One of the secretaries said as Tedachi handed over the necessary papers.
"I wish I was, trust me," He replied as she looked it over.
"So this is why he didn't come in yesterday! The boss was pretty worried about him. It's not normal for him to not show up, you know."
"I know. And, I'm sorry I didn't contact you earlier, but there was a lot of information to process."
"It's fine. Really. We just need him to fill these out…" The woman said, handing over a series of forms.
"Um…Is it alright if I fill them out instead? He broke his writing arm."
"Oh! Sure. Just have them back by tomorrow."
"Will do. Thank you," Tedachi said with a nod, placing the new forms in the folder he'd been carrying. 'Alright…Next stop, the bank…' He thought after a quick glance at his mobile, taking in a breath before headed off, getting most of the errands Ryuji requested completed and adding a few more to his list following his visit with his brother that evening, after which he sat in the main living area of his parents' house, filling out the paperwork for Ryuji's job.
"So…" Miyuki said as she entered, having stayed to visit after bringing dinner. "Who is she?" She asked taking a seat next to her younger brother.
"Who?" Tedachi asked, flipping another page.
"That girl you're pining after."
'Dammit…Not you too!' He thought with a sigh. "I'm not pining after anyone."
"Yes you are! I can see it in your face! Ever since they told us Ryu was going to be alright, you've been thinking about her! You have that same spark in your eye that you had all through high school when you were crushing on that student teacher!"
"Don't you have something to do?"
Miyuki sighed, took his hand in hers. "Tedachi, please don't be like this. Just tell me."
"If I do, will you promise not tell anyone? Not even Ryuji?"
"I promise."
He took in a breath as he set down his pen, an uncomfortable silence falling before he said, "Akito."
"What?"
"Her name is Akito."
"But that…?"
"I know. But I promise that she's definitely a girl. And a beautiful one at that."
"Where'd you meet her?"
"At the main house…She…Well…She's kind of…The head of the family."
"Oh, well…Wait…WHAT?! You mean like…The person who's in charge of the entirety of those people we're supposedly connected to but don't know because there's way too many people in this damn family?!"
"Yes. And, we're not really connected to them. I did some poking around. We're the farthest away from Akito you can get when it comes to blood ties. We only share a name."
"But…I thought the head of the family was a guy?"
"So did I. Apparently not."
"Oh, wow…" Miyuki muttered. "So…Tell me about her. What is it that you like?"
"Everything. The way she walks, the way she talks…Everything drives me crazy. Sure, she's strict, and can be kind of difficult at times…But, she can also be really sweet when she wants to be. And yes, I know she's done awful things. Everyone knows it. I don't know a whole lot, but from my talks with her, I gathered that who she was then and who she is now are two different people. She realised she was doing wrong and made a conscious decision to change. Beyond that…She's beautiful. Stunning, actually..." Tedachi explained, his voice soon being cut off by his sister's words.
"Let me guess. She has long, flowing hair that floats just so in the wind and her eyes are always sparkling…or something?" Miyuki teased.
"Wrong on both accounts. She actually has a boyish haircut, but she does have these two long fringe pieces she plays with when she's nervous or flustered. It's beyond adorable. And her eyes are black. They're dark and deep and have a habit of betraying her when she's trying to hide her feelings."
As soon as he finished speaking, his sister threw her arms around him. "Oh my god. You're in love!" She declared. "You need to tell her!"
"I can't do that! Especially not now! I…"
"Yes, you can. And you should. You've clearly got it bad."
"I do not."
"Yes you do! Did you not hear anything you just said?! You said she was stunning! And you can read her eyes! If that's not love, I don't know what is! Tell her! The worst she can say is 'no.' Right?"
"I guess," Tedachi sighed as he turned his attention back to his paperwork.
"Promise me you'll at least try?" Miyuki said, pulling back and setting a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"I promise," He replied with a smile, shaking his head at her insistence. 'She's something else…But, I guess she is right…Then again…What if I tell her and she flips out and fires me? Hell, even if she doesn't fire me, if it creeps her out, then things will just be insanely awkward…And I just started unraveling her…Dammit. Why is this so hard?! I feel like a lovesick schoolboy and I hate it…And I hate her for doing this to me…Oh, who am I kidding? I can't hate her. I'm stupid in love with her.'
"So…His name's Tedachi…" Shima said the following afternoon, her voice cutting straight through Akito's thoughts.
"What?" Akito replied, quickly looking from the manuscript she was meant to be proofreading to her friend and then back again, gasping when she finally realised that, in the margins along with her reading notes, was his name. "Oh. That? That's nothing."
"Uh-huh."
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Because you're a horrible liar. Come on, tell me about him."
There was a long, strained pause while Akito considered her options. Throwing Shima out would only make her all the more curious, and she'd eventually get back around to asking, she always did…Just like her brother. But, on the other hand, she knew that telling someone would probably make her feel better and less…conflicted. Finally, she took in a breath and admitted, "He works for me. He started just after New Years and is just kind of…I guess you could say an all-purpose worker. We just stick him where we need him, though since it's gotten warm, he seems to prefer being outside and has been doing yard work."
"Is he hot?" Shima cut in, holding back the urge to laugh at the obvious, sudden blush that crept up on the other woman's face. "I'm going to take that as a 'yes.'"
"He…He's fucking gorgeous," Akito admitted, her hands twisting nervously in the fabric of her skirt. "Dark hair that frames his face ever so gently…And hangs over his eyes slightly. I can't tell you how many times I've had to resist the urge to reach over and push it out of his face, just for an excuse to touch him…To look into those eyes that just…" She paused. "Listen to me. I sound like an idiot."
Shima smiled and reached across the table, placing her hand gently over Akito's. "You're not an idiot. You're just in love."
The moment she processed the words, Akito hit the floor.
'Uh…Well…that's one way to take it…' Shima thought, as she leaned over the table, wondering if she should intervene and then slowly retreating to her spot when her friend finally came to and forced herself back up. "Are you okay?"
"No. I'm not. I feel like an idiot."
"Why?"
"Because…I don't understand this. At all. He's kind and caring and hard working, but at the same time, he gets on my last nerve with his teasing and that goofy smile. I feel like I want to punch him in the face, but at the same time, I just want to grab a hold of him and kiss him senseless. He makes me an emotional mess and I hate it! Especially since I know…I can't have him."
"What? Why?"
"I don't deserve him," Akito replied as she pulled her knees to her chest and put her head down, trying unsuccessfully to hold back the tears. "I'm twisted and messed up and just…awful. I've hurt so many people…He's the last person I should be pining after. He's way too good for me," She said, letting out a surprised gasp when Shima threw her arms around her.
"Don't say that. Don't you ever say that! You'll never get anywhere if you keep thinking that! Yes, you're messed up, but so what?! Who in this family isn't?"
"But…"
"NO. You stop it. You're in a much better place than you were years ago. You've owned up to your mistakes and have taken steps to fix them. And besides, who's to say that he can't be a part of that? But, you'll never know until you try. Promise me you'll at least try."
"I'm not sure if…"
"Promise me," Shima insisted, pulling back to look her in the eyes, smiling inside when she got a weak nod in response. 'Well…That's a start.'
Two days later, Tedachi returned to the main house, slightly relieved to have the distraction of work, but equally nervous about being around the woman who'd been plaguing his dreams for the past three nights.
"Tedachi! You're back!" Minori greeted when he stepped in the door.
"Yeah. Sorry for leaving so unexpectedly," He said with a shrug.
"It's okay. Akito told us you had a family emergency."
"There was an accident and my brother is in hospital," He explained as they headed down a hallway.
"Oh, wow. I'm sorry."
"Don't be. He's going to be fine. It was nothing too major, just some stitches, broken ribs and a broken arm. They said he'll probably be discharged next week once they finish their tests and observations."
"Well that's good."
"He's making the best of it too…He's got the nurses going on food runs and already has three dates scheduled for when he gets out."
Minori simply laughed. "Oh, wow…"
"That's normal for Ryu though," Tedachi replied, picking up his written chore list as he finished speaking. "Where's Akito, by the way?"
"Probably still sleeping," Minori said with a shrug, moving to the refrigerator to decide on breakfast ingredients.
"But…It's nine already."
"I don't think she slept well last night. She threw her mobile at the wall this morning when the alarm sequence went off. So, I figured it was better to leave her alone."
"I'll take that as a warning," He noted with a nod as he headed off, pausing partway through his cleaning when he heard footsteps above, followed by running water.
'So she's finally up, huh? I wonder what's been bothering her, if anything…Maybe she just had a bad night? Is it wrong to hope that she'll be happy to see me? She did sound rather happy on the phone last night…' He thought, stopping himself when he realised where his train of thought was going and quickly shaking his head. 'Who am I kidding? She could've been happy about anything! I did hear giggling in the background…Maybe she had a friend over? Why does it even matter to me? Because…I love her. Man, this is going to make things awkward…Maybe it would just be better if I got it out of the way? I could try and catch her when she comes downstairs…But then again, she's not always in the best mood when she wakes up…Besides there's always someone talking to her at breakfast. It's better if I wait until she's alone…But then…What will I say exactly? I mean, I can't exactly just walk up to the head of the family and tell her I'm in love with her. It would probably be disrespectful…Then again…Hiding it isn't helping either. And it can't be that hard, can it? All I have to do is get her alone and just say, 'Akito, I love you.' Simple, right?' He paused as he mulled over his thoughts one more time, ultimately deciding to give up for the time being and focus on his busier tasks outdoors, which proved to be a decent distraction until he heard the faint shuffle of footsteps behind him as he threw handful of fish food into the koi pond. He waited a minute to make sure he wasn't hearing things and finally turned when he realised he was being watched. He then got up without another word and casually made his way up to the porch, where Akito was leaning against one of the support beams. "I haven't seen you all day. I was starting to think you were dead," He teased lightly, noting the unusual aura of awkwardness around them.
"I've been…busy is all," Akito shrugged. "So…How are things back home?"
"They're alright. My brother is doing much better now."
"That's good…I guess."
There was a long pause as the awkward tension rose and Tedachi racked his brain for something to say as she turned away, finally blurting out, "Something else happened too. I ran into an old friend of mine…An ex-girlfriend actually." He said, which wasn't a lie. He had run into one of his girlfriends while he was away, and she had hit on him…in the most conspicuous way possible. It wasn't really something Akito needed to know, but he figured that he might as well finish the thought, especially when he caught the anger in her eyes, one that seemed to be mixed with…jealousy?
'Why is he telling me this?!' She thought, using all of her willpower to not lash out at him. She wasn't even sure why she was angry. There was absolutely no reason for her to be jealous. It's not like he was hers anyway. And yet…Just the idea of another woman making a pass at him made her blood boil.
"I ran into her while running errands for my parents," He continued. "She was telling me about her bad breakup and how three years of hell with this other guy made her realise how much she appreciated me. In fact, she said she regrets leaving me and asked if I'd give her another chance, especially now that we've grown up a little bit. And…I'm considering it. She seemed serious and it's not like we left on horrible terms or anything."
"Fine. Do what you want. I don't care," Akito replied, trying her best to sound indifferent.
"You don't care, really?" Tedachi raised an eyebrow as he glanced at her clenched hands that told him otherwise, one of which was twisted in the fabric of her dress. He then let out a small sigh as he stepped up and closed the distance between them, dropping all of his conflicting thoughts and letting his instinct take over as he declared, "Then I guess you won't care if I do this either…"
As soon as she glanced up, any thought she had was forced out of her mind as he gently pressed his lips to hers in a quick, almost chaste kiss that he had to force himself away from, afraid that if he continued, he wouldn't be able to stop.
Once he pulled away, Akito simply stood, staring at him for a moment.
Then, before either of them knew what was happening, she quickly, violently grabbed his shirt, pulling him back to her and practically assaulting his lips with hers.
'Holy SHIT,' Was his only thought as he indulged her, letting her force her way into his mouth and only breaking apart when he had to breathe. "I thought you didn't care?" He asked breathlessly.
"You know damn well that's a lie! I care. I care way too much," She spat, looking up at him through tear-filled eyes. "I'm stupid in love with you and I don't know how or why…But…" She trailed off as she finally let the tears fall, burying her face into his chest as he set a gentle hand on her back.
'After all the time I spent thinking…dreaming…wanting…She's been chasing after me this whole time…I'm not sure how I feel about this. I mean, I guess I'm happy that she feels this way…It'll make this…a lot easier…' He thought, taking in a breath before he finally admitted, "It's okay…I'm stupid in love with you too."
Akito said nothing, eyes widening as she looked up and then moved to kiss him again, softer this time, but just as deep, following it up with an even softer kiss as she realised the reality of the situation and forced herself to speak again.
"You need to leave," She said.
"What?" He asked, not sure if he should be hurt or confused. The head of the family had just told him she was in love with him…And now that he'd reciprocated…She was telling him to leave?
"Because if you stay here…I'm not going to be able to let you go," Akito explained, earning a raised eyebrow in response.
"And that's a bad thing?"
"I am…awful. And evil and twisted in ways you'll never begin to understand. You don't need to be here. I don't deserve this…I don't deserve you. You're too good of a person to get tangled up with me."
"And that is exactly why I need to be here."
At that, her head shot up.
"I don't know a whole lot about what happened, but what I do know is that the person I heard about in those stories and the person standing here are two different people. You're doing much better now, but even I know you're still not all the way there, which is why I need to be here. With you. I'm good for you in ways you'll never begin to understand. And, on top of all that, I love you. And that's all the reason I need to stay."
"Tedachi?"
"Hm?"
"Will you…Kiss me again?"
He simply smiled in response before giving in to her request as she finally let go of his shirt and moved to wrap her arms around his neck as his settled on her waist, and he gently urged her to deepen the kiss, running his hands up her sides and gently nipping at her lower lip until she finally relented and let him have control as their tongues danced around each other…softly, intimately.
When they broke apart, he barely had a chance to breathe before she pulled him back to her, part of her wanting to make sure that this was real…That it wasn't another one of those dreams she'd been having. She then decided that it had to be real…Because her dreams had never felt this good. It was almost too much for her to handle. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt like this…if ever. Sure, she'd been kissed before, but never like this. He was passionate, yet gentle…Not wanting to press too far too fast. However, she knew it was far too late to think about that as she gave a soft moan against his lips, all of her going hot as she whispered,
"Upstairs…now."
At that, he abruptly pulled away and stared at her a minute, wondering if he'd heard her right. "But we only just…" He tried to retort.
"It wasn't a question," She decided, her hands returning to his shirt as she pulled him in for another kiss and carefully backed up into the house.
"But the others…"
"…Are all on lunch."
Once they were past the bedroom door, Tedachi realised that he wasn't entirely sure how they got upstairs, especially without being caught. But he soon realised it didn't matter as she turned towards him after closing the door and threw her arms around him, dragging him into an eager kiss that he resisted as a tease as he pushed her up against the door, getting an aggravated sigh in response as she pressed harder, biting at his lower lip until he finally gave in, their tongues engaging in a brief battle for dominance that she ultimately won as he turned his attention to her clothes and began fiddling with the buttons on her light-blue sundress.
While he pulled at buttons, she grabbed the hem of his shirt as they shared a series of hot, deep kisses, tugging at it when wouldn't take the hint. Her hands wanted – no, needed – flesh. His flesh. She needed to touch it, possess it…revel in it. It had been a long time since she'd been intimate with anyone and her senses were reeling. Every touch, every breath sent a pleasant shiver up her spine.
"You're impatient," Tedachi teased, pausing to finally pull his shirt off after she scowled at it, secretly hiding his own impatience. He hadn't been with anyone in awhile either, and was caught between savouring every moment and simply ripping her clothes off and taking her against the door. However, he quickly realised that it was more important to make sure she was comfortable with this and resolved to be slightly gentler than that.
"A little," She admitted, drawing him in for another kiss, running her hands over his chest as he soon moved to her neck, earning a soft moan when he kissed and nipped his way downwards, stopping to suck at her pulse point while he undid the last button. He used his hands to part the fabric, gently pushing it off her shoulders and holding back what he knew would be a particularly loud groan as his hands met with her overheated flesh and the dress dropped to the floor.
'So…this is what she's been hiding under those pretty dresses…' He thought, smirking against her skin and then giving in and letting out the suppressed groan as her hand tangled in his hair, pulling at it before tugging him upwards for another long, passionate kiss, gasping into his mouth as he ran his hands up her sides.
She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him in closer, reveling in the feel of his body pressed up against hers and his scent all around her as she moved to his neck, worrying a spot with her teeth, leaving a decent mark behind just as his hands slid down further, settled at her waist and gently lifted.
Akito easily took the hint and wrapped her legs around him, eagerly clinging to him as he moved to carefully set her on her bed, soon easing himself on top of her and crushing his lips to hers without a second thought. He kissed her ardently, as if the minute away from her had been an eternity, tongue eagerly finding and curling around hers, drawing the faintest of moans from her lips.
"Are you sure you're okay with this?" He gasped, pausing to look at her. He locked eyes with her, searching for any hidden signs of resistance as she simply nodded in response. She wanted – no, needed – this and she definitely didn't want to stop when they just started. Her senses were overwhelmed, her body overheated and…she was okay with it. She wasn't sure if it was her past experiences, or simply the lust clouding her mind, but part of her craved the physical affection. It was a reassurance. It told her that this was real and not another one of her dreams. And if his eyes were any indication, he felt the same way and wanted it just as much, if not more, than she did.
He gave her another quick glance and leaned in for a light kiss, lips soon moving down to graze the tops of her small breasts as his fingers skimming over the navy-coloured lace that both contrasted and mingled with mint-green satin.
"Let me know if I'm doing anything you don't like," He ordered right before sinking his teeth into the sensitive skin, hoping that she knew that he meant it. The last thing he wanted to do was make her uncomfortable in any way. He wanted her to be okay with this, and to feel like she could be honest and tell him exactly what she liked, or didn't like, as long as she wasn't simply ordering him around.
Akito responded with a soft moan, arched her back slightly, hoping he would take the hint as her nails met with and dug into his shoulders. She then smirked against his lips when he came back up to kiss her and slid his hands underneath of her, carefully searching for and struggling with the catch on her bra, soon earning a startled gasp in response when he finally got it and she realised as he slipped the straps off her shoulders that he was going to see her. Naked. He was soon going to know about everything she lacked, and the thought made her hesitate.
'Wait…you can't…' She said to herself, biting her lip as a heavy blush graced her cheeks. "I…I'm…"She stuttered, trying to force herself to say the words as she unconsciously let him slip the offending garment off and throw it to the floor.
"Gorgeous…" He finished for her, knowing exactly what she was worried about. It wasn't that she was uncomfortable, not in this case, just scared of what he might think. He knew she had issues with her body, but as he looked her over, he had to wonder why she worried so much. As far as he was concerned she was fucking gorgeous. And despite what she had said, she was not flat-chested. Sure, they were small, but they were also cute and perky and very sensitive he found out as he leaned in and captured one, a long, but suppressed moan escaping her lips as his tongue traced the pebbled texture of her nipple.
Her hand found its way to his hair again, and he groaned when she gasped out his name and gently tugged as her back arched, pushing her breasts upwards.
'She likes this…' He realised, tentatively moving his own hand up to tease her other breast, gently brushing that nipple with his thumb while he drew the other into his mouth and carefully tugged, lightly at first, and then harder when her grip tightened, soon leaving a trail of searing kisses and lovebites in his wake as he switched to the other breast, giving it equal attention and relishing in the soft, sensual gasped that spilled from her lips. He glanced up briefly, knowing from the look on her face that she was holding back and forcing herself to be quiet because of their circumstances and while he understood why, part of him was also aggravated by it, and resolved to rectify it whenever they got the chance to be truly alone. However, he was quick to dismiss the thought as he felt her hands move over his back, holding in a moan of his own as her nails dug in on the way down.
His own free hand soon slithered down as well, carefully brushing against her stomach before meeting with the waistline of her underwear just as he moved to suck at the underside of a breast, gasping when he was abruptly pulled back up by his hair so she could crash her lips against his in a brief, but deep kiss before she pulled away, leaned in to nip at his earlobe.
"I want to see you," She hissed, not giving him a chance to respond as she returned to his mouth, gently sucking at his lower lip and then resuming their kiss while her hands traveled downward.
"I got it," He said, holding back a laugh at her frustration with his belt as he rose to his knees, meeting her eyes as the heat in his groin was finally given some relief. Though the air was almost cold on his hard, flushed skin, he easily ignored it as he tossed the garments aside and met her eyes, which widened slightly as she looked him over, from the dark hair hanging slightly in his face, down to his chest, which was nicely toned, most likely due to his recent work outside. He wasn't a particularly large man, but he wasn't scrawny either, which was more than okay with Akito. Manly, but not overpowering.
She felt a heavy blush across her face when her gaze moved even farther downward. Her eyes shot back upward briefly and she moaned at both the sight of him and the passing thought about what it would feel like when he was inside of her.
"Someone likes what she sees," He teased, leaning down to catch her lips in a light, almost chaste kiss, descending immediately afterward, breath fanning over her stomach as he kissed his way down, hands drawing gentle, nonsensical patterns on her sides before coming down to pull at her panties, which he carefully, almost tortuously slipped off. He then decided to go back up, carefully gripping one of her spread legs and lightly kissing a trail from the tip of her foot up her leg and to her inner thigh, groaning when he got closer to and could smell the distinctly feminine scent of her arousal.
"Tedachi," Akito breathed, biting her lip almost to the point of hurting herself to hold in the loud moan she desperately wanted to voice when she felt his hot breath near her wet heat, finding herself unable to hold back the following, girlish cry of pleasure when his fingers finally dared to make contact.
Tedachi briefly glanced up at her, letting out a moan of his own at both the sight of her with her head thrown back, lost almost completely in pleasure, and the feel of her heat against his fingers as he carefully, slowly prodded, sliding them against the hot, hidden flesh of her body and taking in a breath at the hard gasp she gave when he brushed against her clit, soon deciding on keeping his thumb there to stimulate her while he slipped first one, and then two fingers into her, curling them and making her hips jerk downwards, taking the motion and her soft, desperate whimper as an invitation to continue.
"Can I?" He gasped.
"Please," She begged, nearly screaming when his mouth joined his fingers, which he kept inside of her to give her something to tighten around.
'Okay, so she really like this…' He decided, a hard groan escaping his lips when he glanced up and caught the way she unconsciously moved one hand up to tease her own breast, a soft, keening moan rolling of her lips just as his hand managed to find her free one, which was tangled in her blanket.
"Oh, God…" She gasped, groaning out his name as she felt the hard, hot wave of pleasure making its way through her body, her grip on his hand tightening suddenly.
He made sure to see her through her orgasm, holding back what he knew would be a loud, hard groan as he continued to slide his fingers in and out of her until the contractions weakened and her body settled.
He paused, took a moment to carefully lick each of his fingers, watching the way she observed him with her dark, lustful eyes.
"Now…You're absolutely sure you're okay with this?" He asked in a whisper as he leaned over her. He wasn't sure why he felt the need to ask again, but he did and got his answer in the form of a hot, searing kiss that he took control in, biting at her lower lip until she relented, slipping his tongue in her mouth the same moment he guided himself into her, unable to hold back his long moan. And, though he had rather vivid dreams of this moment, he knew that they couldn't compare to the actual feeling of being with and seeing her like this - Hot, vulnerable and completely lost in her ecstasy. Nor did they even come close to measuring up to the sensation of being inside her, surrounded by her slick passion and tight heat as he carefully worked to set their rhythm, starting out rather slow. Too slow for Akito's taste.
"Harder, Tedachi. Do it harder," She begged once she mustered up enough strength and sense to speak, using all of her willpower to hold back what she knew would be a particularly loud scream as he immediately obliged, slipping a hand under her thigh to bring it back so he could lengthen his thrusts while she clung to him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and accepting a long, hard kiss as she arched against him.
"Akito," He groaned at the feeling of her hardened nipples brushing against his chest, soon repeating it when he felt her thighs wrap around his hips, forcing him to go deeper. He then became aware of the pressure of her interlaced ankles pressing into his back as she lifted her hips to meet his.
"You…Feel so good," He managed to gasp out, his voice right next to her ear. "God, you're sexy."
'I…You really think I'm…?' Akito thought. She couldn't remember ever being told she was hot or sexy in bed. She vaguely recalled occasionally being called 'beautiful' by Kureno once or twice, and couldn't remember Shigure ever complimenting her in the bedroom. However, she was quick to shake the passing thoughts off. They were part of a past she didn't want to remember. Not now, not after having already decided that her past relationships would not control her new one.
She willed herself to say something back, but found words impossible as she lost herself in the myriad of sensations around her. Instead, she returned the compliment by tangling a hand in his hair and forcefully pulling him into a hot, searing kiss that left both of them moaning. Immediately afterwards, she felt a familiar heat cresting in her body, and though it made her want to scream out, she forced herself to use every ounce of her melting willpower to hold back and instead ended up sinking her teeth into his shoulder when the passion crested over and her second orgasm racked her body mere moments before he finally gave into his own, both of them taking everything the other gave and then sharing one last kiss as the heat began to cool.
'Did we…Really just do that?' Tedachi asked himself as he looked her over again, part of him still scarcely believing that he had just had sex with Akito of all people, the other part holding onto a newfound pride in the fact that he could make Akito beg. He could make the head of the family want to scream his name.
"What are you doing?" Akito teased.
"You're beautiful," He blurted out, smiling at the shy blush he got in response.
"I'm sorry about this," Akito said, running a gentle finger along the bruise forming on his shoulder. "But I just…I couldn't exactly…"
"I know. And, I'm really sorry about that," He said, gesturing to the equally prominent mark on her neck. "I wasn't thinking."
"No, you weren't," She said as and he shifted to lay down next to her. "Now I need to figure out how to cover this up."
There was a long, comfortable silence for a few minutes before he sat up, leaning against the pillows as he declared, "I feel bad."
She simply sat up, shot him a confused look.
"I've fucked you twice but haven't taken you on a proper date yet," He explained and she shrugged.
"Is that what you're…Wait…Twice?"
"Yeah there was…Wait…That was a dream," He admitted, cringing when she kicked him. "What was that for?"
"You were having sex dreams about me!"
"Don't act like you haven't had any!" He retorted, laughing when her blush confirmed his accusation.
"You're horrible!"
"No. I'm Tedachi…And you're Akito," He teased while she simply shook her head.
"Why do I put up with you?" She sighed.
"Because you're stupid in love with me."
"Unfortunately," Akito said with a fake eyeroll before kissing him again.
"Now, about that date…"
"Wait…You were serious? You would…actually want to take me out?"
"I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't," He pointed out as his hand found hers. "Does tonight work for you?"
"But, you work this evening…What's your boss going to say?" She teased, leaning in closer as she waited for a response.
"I don't think she'll mind if I bail out early," He teased back with a smile, leaning up to gently press his lips to hers. However, as soon as he did, he realised he probably shouldn't have as her other hand found his wrist, which she gripped tightly as she pressed his hands into the bed and drew even closer, if that was possible. Though he had fully intended to resist and insist that she slow down, he found it extremely hard to do so, especially when she was kissing him the way she was, but, he eventually snapped himself out of it when she loosened her grip on his hands. He bit back a groan, gently setting his hands on her shoulders just as her hardened nipples brushed against his chest. The feeling, along with her intense kiss, was enough to make him almost give in. Almost.
"Fuck," Akito groaned, scowling at him when he pushed her back, abruptly breaking their kiss. "What was that for?"
"To make you stop," Tedachi replied. "There will be no more of this until we go out a few times."
"You can't be serious!"
"Oh, but I am."
"But…"
"No."
She made a move to speak again and was stopped by him putting his finger to her lips.
"I said, 'no.'"
"Oh, come on. One more time."
"Akito…" He sighed and then went to speak again, stopping when he looked up into the sexy darkness of her gaze and lost the entirety of his train of thought. "I…We…Should…Okay."
She said nothing and simply smirked, making a mental note to remember that look as he pulled her back to him.
While the first time had been slightly rushed and fueled mainly by their years of pent-up, sexual frustration, the second time was slower and more intimate, with her taking the time to return the favour, explore his body and understand his desires, later finding herself slightly disappointed when it was over. She wasn't sure if it was her frustration talking or the excitement of being with him, all she did know as she found and slipped on her underwear was that she wanted more. However, that thought quickly lead to another and she soon found herself grabbing his wrist as he tried to make his way out.
"Wait…" She muttered.
"Akito, I have to…" He started, stopping when he caught the serious look on her face.
"Sit," She ordered, moving to finally pick up her dress as he sat on her bed, waiting and watching as she slipped her clothes back on and joined him.
"If we're going to do this…Then you have to understand that…" She started, pausing and biting her lip as she tried to find the right words. "We have to keep this a secret."
Tedachi raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"Don't get me wrong. You're a wonderful guy and I am stupid in love with you…But, you're my servant and I'm the head of the family."
"So…This embarrasses you?"
"What? No. The class difference doesn't mean anything to me. But it will mean something to the other maids, and my business partners."
"So…?"
"Like I said, this will have to be a secret. I already have so much working against me. I'm a woman in power who doesn't fit the mold they want me to. They keep telling me all I need is a man, a well-off, high-powered heir, to "fix" me and make my life complete. But, I don't want that. I don't need that. I need you. You're honest, and loyal, and love me for who I am…But, they wouldn't care. All they would see is this woman in power fucking one of her servants. My reputation I worked so hard for would be shot and it would be nothing against you or me. And…I don't think I could deal with that. Not yet. And, it's not like I expect us to hide or anything. We can go out on dates and kiss and touch each other…outside of the Main House. And we will have to work around the girls…Which means I'm going to have to meet you places or you'll have to pick me up at Shima's…But I still want to do this. I want to make this work for us. It's been a long time since I've been in any sort of relationship, and…" She paused when he put his finger to her lips.
"I get it," He said with a soft smile. "You're not embarrassed to be seen with me or using me for a sex toy. At least…I hope you're not…Though maybe that wouldn't be so bad, you..." He trailed off when she smacked his arm. "Sorry…Badly placed joke. Anyway, I guess normal people would say to 'screw what they say' but I guess that's not really an option here. And…I guess that's okay. We just have to be careful here, right?"
"Right. And…It means I'll still have to attend events and dinner parties on my own…I may also be forced to go on a date or two with these prominent company heirs, but I can promise you I won't like it. I never do. I can also promise that nothing will come of them. I've been cheated on before and…"
"It's fine. We'll deal with all of that when the time comes. I think right now I'm just happy you feel the same way about me that I do about you."
Akito didn't respond right away, only gave him a small smile as a light blush graced her cheeks. "Oh! And just because we have to dance around people and rumours doesn't mean we can't have sex either. We'll just have to be sneaky about it."
"Sneaky, how?" Tedachi asked, slightly amused with the idea.
"Well, we'll probably spend a handful of time at your place after dates. And if we do it here, it'll have to be later at night. I could start scheduling you to work a few lock up shifts where you just don't go home…Of course that means you might have to sneak out early, but –"
"I won't mind."
She smiled and continued, "Daytime sex isn't out of the question either. We'll just have to be quiet."
"Which reminds me…" He leaned forward, his face just centimetres away from her. "What do you really sound like in bed?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean that I know you were holding back."
"Well…I…I…Guess you'll just have to wait and see, now won't you?" She teased, her small laugh being cut off when he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers.
"I'm looking forward to it," He teased back once they broke apart. "Now…I really have to get back to work. And about tonight…"
"I'll text you Shima's address and you can pick me up there. Then, we can go wherever you want. We're less likely to be found and recognised in regular-people places."
"Sounds like a plan," He said, giving her a small nod before making his way out of the room.
Once he was gone, she sat for a moment, taking the day's events in and then sighing as she lied back on her bed and burst into a fit of girlish giggles that surprised her.
'He likes me! But more than that, he's in love with me! And he thinks I'm beautiful and sexy And…Oh, God, the sex. I think that was the best I've ever had. He's hot and attentive and patient and damn good. Ugh! How long is he going to make me wait for more? Hopefully not too long…Then again, maybe it won't be so bad if it's anything like what we just did,' She thought with a smirk. Though he was gone, she could still feel his hands on her, and quickly decided as she picked up the phone that she didn't mind it one bit.
"I still can't believe you slept with him!" Shima exclaimed as she compared the two dresses Akito had brought over to her place that evening.
"Twice," Akito reminded her before turning back to the bathroom mirror to apply the lipstick her friend picked out for her. "Though it's not that surprising. I've also slept with your brother before," She said, capping the tube as she finished, having said it mainly to see if she could get a rise out of the other woman.
"Okay. If we're going to have conversations like this, you can't say things like that," Shima scolded, smiling when she finally threw one of the dresses aside. "This one," She decided. "I haven't seen you wear it yet."
"I haven't had a chance to," Akito shrugged, pausing to concentrate on her mascara.
"Well, now you do. What kind of underwear did you bring to wear with it?"
"There's should be a few sets in the bag. Though, I'm rather fond of…"
"I like this blue one. It's cute and flirty. The colour works really well for you too."
"Does it really matter? It's not like he's going to see it."
"Why not? You've already slept with him, so…"
Akito sighed, pushed the makeup aside. "He said no more sex until we go on a few dates. I think he wants to make sure this will work first," She explained, taking the clothes from her friend and quickly exchanging her borrowed robe for them.
"Yes. This works," Shima commented as she quickly laced up the back of the dress. "Doesn't this have a headband that goes with it?"
"It should be in the bag. I don't normally wear headbands but I figured I'd bring it just in case," Akito explained, groaning when Shima moved to dig through her bag.
"What's the matter? You look great," Her best friend assured as she slipped the mentioned accessory into her hair, smiling at the result.
"It's just…Are you sure this looks alright? I could always find something else…" Akito asked as she looked herself over in the mirror a few times. "Something with sleeves…Or maybe…"
"Will you stop? You look fine," Shima reassured.
"Ugh! I don't even know how to do this. I've never been on a real date before."
"Did you and my brother seriously never go out?"
"Not really. I mean, we had dinner once or twice…But…I…There just…" Akito groaned again as she trailed off and stomped out of the bathroom, unable to find the right words.
"Akito," Shima called, quickly following the smaller woman and soon joining her on her bed, taking her hands as soon as she was settled. "What's wrong?"
There was a long pause as Akito gathered her thoughts, taking in a breath before she finally admitted, "Even though Shigure and I went out a few times…Once I came to my senses, I realised that…There wasn't anything there. Not really. I guess…I convinced myself I loved him because…He was there. He was always there….And, at the time, I was just happy he wasn't leaving…But…Then I saw that it was no good for me. That I would never move on if I stayed with him. And after that…The connection was gone. I still care about him…Just, not like that."
"And with Tedachi?"
"With Tedachi…I really feel something. When he looks at me just the right way, I just…I can't even think. I want him, Shima. All of him. And not just in a sexual way. He's kind and he takes care of me, but not to the point where it's smothering, and he appreciates my thoughts and opinions and…."
"Akito. Stop," Shima interrupted. "You don't have to explain anything to me. All I need to know is that you're in love and happy. Now, you're going to go out tonight and have a nice time and not worry about the past, okay? This is a new start for you."
"But…"
Shima reached up, put a finger to her friend's lips. "No," She ordered with a smile, soon standing at the sound of the doorbell.
"You're not Akito," Tedachi said when she answered.
"No. I'm Shima. I'm Akito's best friend. I've seen you around the house, but we've never officially met."
"Same here. I remember seeing you in passing…And you were at her dinner party earlier this year. You have a brother, right?"
"Yup. Shigure Sohma. He's off at a pitch meeting right now though."
"Pitch?"
"We're writers and part of our job is to throw, or 'pitch,' as they say, ideas for books and stories to the editors. And they'll tell us what they think and if they like it enough, they'll give us the time and money to write and sell it."
"Well, I guess I learned something new," Tedachi teased. "Now, I hate to be rude but…"
"You want to see Akito," Shima guessed.
"Kind of."
"Akito," Shima called up the stairs. "There's a handsome man here for you," She teased, turning back to Tedachi. "She'll be down soon…I hope. She's a little nervous about the outfit. Though I can't see why. You've already seen her naked. This can't be much worse."
"Shima! I am going to kill you!" Akito snapped as she finally stomped down the stairs, hands clenched at her sides.
"Now Akito, is that anyway to behave in front of your date?" Shima teased, holding in a laugh at the slight blush that formed on Akito's face when she caught sight of Tedachi, who was looking her over.
"I know…It looks ridiculous, doesn't it?" She said after catching his speechless expression.
"No. It…it's nice. Perfect actually," He admitted as he looked her over. The white, flowy, strapless dress fit her rather well. At her waist was a dark blue sash adorned with a silver butterfly clip that sat at her left. The sash complimented the blue butterfly pattern printed at the bottom of the skirt and the headband that had the same silver clip, also on the left side, resting just above her ear. In all honesty, he felt rather underdressed in comparison in his simple slacks and shirt ensemble.
"Alright, that's enough of that," Shima declared after a long silence as she got behind and practically shoved Akito toward him, smiling when he moved to catch her.
"Hey!" Akito snapped, Shima shrugged and Tedachi smiled, biting back a soft laugh.
"Let's get going," He said. "I picked a casual hot-pot place. I think you'll like it."
"Alright," She nodded in response and moved to slip on her sandals, giving a grateful smile to Shima when her friend handed over a handbag and navy cardigan.
"In case it gets cold," She declared with a smile.
"Thanks…" Akito muttered, looking up at Tedachi when he took her hand and carefully led her out.
'She needs this…She needs him' Shima thought, leaning against the doorway as she watched the new couple head up the pathway. 'At least until he hurts her…Then he needs to learn how to run. I hope he has a passport.'
Unaware of her wandering eyes, Tedachi and Akito walked off in a comfortable silence until he stopped, leaned in to whisper in response to Shima's earlier comment, "For the record, I think you look damn good naked."
He then laughed at the heavy blush that appeared on her face and before she could even think of a response, he leaned in and gently kissed her cheek, soon taking her hand again and then giving a smile that she returned as she carefully moved to link arms with him instead.
"People aren't going to like this once we get on the train," He pointed out.
"If they really have a problem with it, they can separate us," Akito decided.
He only shrugged in response and they moved on, him smiling at the thought that she probably would separate from him once they reached the station. She talked a lot, but he knew she'd still follow the rules of etiquette, it was in her nature to, given her position. A position that didn't really matter then, or ever. Sure, she was the head of a prestigious family, but she was also a person. A loving, intelligent, passionate woman who, out of all the people she could have, chose him. Part of him wondered why, but the other part did not care in the slightest. All that really mattered was that she had and that neither of them had any intention of giving the other up. Well…At least not without a fight anyway.