Chapter 8

A/N: Hey folks, sorry about my last chapter - I was admittedly a bit rusty. I realize it was a bit strange to make Shizuru suddenly so cold towards Natsuki after making her so obsessive over her in the first few chapters. I guess I just wanted to add more dimensions to the characters, but it didn't work out the way I intended to, (every writer's worst nightmare) but I promise I'll try my best to make it up to you guys with this chapter.

Shizuru sat against the kitchen counter and shivered noticeably against the cold marble once we reached the kitchen. She stared at me, dared me to make a move with the suggestive glint in her eyes. Seeing Shizuru in nothing but pink panties and a white tank top drove me crazy, and I thought of nothing else but to capture her and ravish her to my fullest content. I took a step forward and she smirked devilishly. My heart beat like crazy from her expression - faster and harder with each step I took towards Shizuru.

I was only inches away from kissing her, touching her, but I couldn't quite bring myself to just throw myself into another escapade of pleasurable delight, no matter how much my body desired it. Shizuru's grin was waning when I didn't proceed with my actions. I only rubbed our noses together, but didn't kiss her - I was thinking back to the beginnings of our newfound love. The night Shizuru confessed her love to me was so heart-rending and intense - an unforgettable, lovely display of raw emotion. I wondered if we could ever capture a moment like that again in our relationship, even though we are officially together and no longer feeling the hurtful pangs of unrequited love.

Shizuru's finger poked at my cheek and she pouted at my reluctance to be the wolfish beast she longed for me to be like the night before. I could see behind her playful façade, doubt in her eyes also, but I refused to believe our relationship's fire could be extinguished in such a brief timeline.

I had the sudden urge to be alone - to contemplate on how to revive the momentarily lost magic that created this love we now had - what we wished and desired for with all of our hearts. I love Shizuru - there was no doubt about it, but something felt amiss. It couldn't solely be because of our recent conversation. I felt deep regret for ever mentioning a kid so soon. Why did I ever decide to do such a foolish thing?

Shizuru no longer was smiling and there was a tenseness in the air between us. Her mouth was slightly agape as if wanting to say something, but she too seemed to be unable to find the right words to say for a moment such as this.

Tired of being a repressive coward, I said the first thing that popped in my mind. "Remember the night you confessed your love to me, how… passionate you were?" I said, and it sounded even stranger saying it aloud than thinking it to myself.

Shizuru's lips curled up into a sad smile at the memory and she looked forlorn when remembering the moment she bore her soul to me - embarrassed at displaying a side of her she usually didn't show the world. She remained silent as she thought back that night.

I took her silence as a sign not to prod her on the past any longer, but her voice suddenly broke the silence and snapped me out of my own clouded thoughts. "Of course I do," Shizuru's voice sounded muted, not as sure as it usually was. "I can never forget how I felt as if I were about to die when you didn't return my feelings for you. I've never felt such misery when you kept pushing me away. I have never fallen for somebody so hard… and fast," Shizuru spoke in a low whisper and looked away into space, trying to bring herself back to the moment that started it all.

We were both back to the beginning in our minds and I could see the crying, pleading Shizuru from the night of her heart-breaking display of love for me. It was not so long ago, but it felt like years ago - like a rip in the fabric of time - molding the past and present into an indiscernible mess which made my head spin with confusion. She was begging me to love her back, muttering strange things about my heart, and all I remembered was feeling afraid - afraid to fall in love and be loved. I was a coward back then, and I still felt no different. A curse seemed to be burdened upon my heart, making me unable to ever be loved, even by somebody as wonderful as Shizuru.

Could it be that I don't deserve Shizuru? Was I the problem in our relationship right now? Question after question plagued me, but then I looked at the Shizuru now, and the girl from the past faded back into the background where she belonged. The Shizuru standing in front of me was the woman who loved me despite my flaws and sometimes irritating insecurities, and I loved her entirely as well - every single part of her. The memories we built together are moments I would always cherish and remember until the day I leave this earth. Our love was real, and it was growing stronger with each moment we spent together, through both the good times and bad.

Shizuru circled a finger around where my heart laid beneath my flesh, causing my skin to tingle where her finger touched. "If only I could place a kiss on your heart," she repeated the phrase that both intrigued and caused me fall in love with her in the first place.

This time I responded to the bizarre statement instead of remaining silent. "You already have," I answered simply and Shizuru's eyes lit up with surprise and filled with tears. "I love you, Shizuru. You've already done more than place a kiss on my heart - you've stolen it, repaired it from its broken loneliness it has had to suffer for so long." With those words, the old Natsuki officially faded away into oblivion - leaving me breathing more freely. I was no longer afraid to become stronger person for Shizuru - to be the woman Shizuru deserved to love and to be loved by.

Shizuru closed her eyes and she smiled happily with her face tilted up as if in prayer. I kissed her eyes and she fluttered them back open. Those beautifully deep burgundy eyes shone with a mixture of both joy and sadness. I kissed her forehead, her cheeks, and then her lips - with each kiss, the sadness in Shizuru's eyes faded away slightly, but a hint of melancholy haunted her eyes still.

I wondered why she looked so awfully sad at times, but it was a mystery I was somewhat afraid to discover and dwell upon. Because what could somebody as beautiful and successful as Shizuru ever be sad about?

I rubbed a hand lovingly on her cheek and Shizuru looked deep into my eyes as if to silently convey to me what she truly felt behind her always happy, smiling face she showed to her adoring fans. "I don't know what I ever did before I met you," Shizuru said vaguely.

I cocked my head slightly to the side at her sentence and she pulled nervously at the ends of her hair. "I was always so lonely even though people were always around me - complimenting me, loving me even though they hardly knew me."

I realized that Shizuru was opening herself completely up to me - revealing a side of her I knew she thought she would never share with anybody else.

A tear fell down her face when she spoke and I rubbed it away tenderly with a thumb - she started sobbing even harder when I did so. She clasped onto my hand and kissed it. "Being around others only made me feel even more alone," she continued. "Then you came into my life, and I felt as if my life had a purpose other than being a wind-up doll for everybody. You gave me a reason to live Natsuki," Shizuru sobbed and buried her face into my chest.

I held her in my arms tightly and firmly as she cried. A few tears escaped my eyes also when I realized the truth behind the always calm, always perfect Shizuru Fujino. She had much more in common with me than I could ever imagine. We were both lonely, lost and afraid in the world, but then fate brought us together - relieving us of our common burden in this life. I put my chin on top of her head and rubbed Shizuru's back soothingly, trying to calm her down, but she would only continue to cry her little heart out.

"Please, don't cry anymore Shizuru," I whispered. "I'm here for you. I always will be. Please stop crying - it makes me sad to see you cry."

Shizuru sniffled and wiped at her red eyes. She smiled and hugged me fiercely. I hugged her back with equal force - never wanting to release her from my grasp. We then kissed more passionately than any other times we've kissed. I felt the love in my bones and surging in my blood - it warmed both my body and soul. Our love, our bond had become stronger than it had ever been before. There was a refreshing new light upon us and I had become a better person who was able to enjoy it to its fullest extent.