Chapter 9: Do You Trust Me

"How am I the idiot?" She asked taking a breath in from the kiss he gave her.

"Do we always have to bicker?" He asked sighing.

"Well if …"

"Look if you were in my position don't you see how that's a little unfair?"

"Well I don't see the point in me telling you to save me. That guilt…" She signed. She didn't want to bring up Tsui Ling.

He closed his eyes. "I don't need to with you...I mean some times I do. You can stand up on your own Ayano. But it's problematic to tell me to do otherwise too…if you were me, and you knew I was going to die, wouldn't you have the inclination to stop it?"

"Of course, that's-"

"It is the point. I could top that suggestion with something more drastic like both promising to take a leap if one of us dies, but I don't think that we're that reckless and we've seen with the Kenshin and Mizuko that those things never end well…not too practical either…I'd hate to see one of us turn into an angry ghost or youma..."

"No, that's not good either."

"Well we can just face the facts that we're kind of screwed either way with our powers, but we can try to escape death as best we can along the way." He gave a slight shrug of his shoulders. "But if you want to ask hard questions I have a better one to ask…"

"What?" She asked turning to face him on the bed.

"Are we going to make this official or not?"

"Wait? How ? What?" Her eyes got wide.

"I mean us." He said. "Because this time, I'm not letting you run in the other direction." He then pinned her arms on the bed and sat so he was hovering over her.

"Are you sure you want to settle with me Kazuma? I'm sure you can find-" She diverted her eyes, elsewhere.

"Give it a break Ayano. I haven't been with anyone since Tsui Ling. But the moment you say no-"

"No! I mean, no I don't want you to leave." She bit her lip. "Your getting joy out of this aren't you?"

"Me? Well it is funny to see you confuse yourself, but honestly why is it so hard for you to say yes?"

"You're the first guy I've ever really liked Kazuma what do you expect?!" She blurted out before she realized what she'd said.

"I'll take it as a yes." He said, and kissed her nose. She cringed and blushed looking at him. "You know it's not all games for me. You ought to realize how hard it is to know that the girl I'm falling for is kind of reckless and puts herself into danger a lot. I mean it's the one thing I probably shouldn't do considering how hard I take it when I can't save someone…"

"I'm sorry. I cant just live in a bubble you know."

"All the more reason for me to stay by your side. I guess we both have our hurdles, but I can handle them if you can?"

She nodded. He looked to the left, and got up to sit.

"Oh look the fireworks are done. I bet they'll all be back soon." The room grew darker without the illumination of the fire works. Only the moon gave them light.

He heard Ayano give a small sigh. He wondered how he expected this night to go? Suddenly he felt a pull on his shirt, as he was forced down to Ayano's level where he felt a pressure on his lips.

She was kissing him again.

"What was that about?" He fell down over her.

"Hell, if you think you just get to leave after that?! We didn't even decide what this is."

"What is this Ayano?" He asked like a flirt.

"You tell me Kazuma."

"Well I guess this mean's I'm your boyfriend right?" He said whispering it in her ear.

"I mean I guess so but don't let it get to your head Ka-" Suddenly his lips were on hers and she felt herself melting into the bed behind her.

Why did she still try to defend herself from it? She knew she'd liked Kazuma from the moment he'd come back! He stood for something not many people did. She'd been jealous of Kirika and Catherine when she thought he was with them. He proved himself, and then he dealt with so much more pain. The last thing she wanted to do was push him away. He didn't need any more grief…she needed to support him the same way he'd supported her.

"Kazuma…"

"Yea Ayano?"

"…I've actually really liked you for a while now. I'm sorry it took me so long to say it, but I'm sorry I ever made you leave our family. I'm happy your back now…even if you annoy me when you flirt so recklessly." She said it so quickly it was like ripping of a band aid. She looked up at him. Her walls were down. For once she didn't feel confident, but it seemed okay. "And if you ever died… I couldn't forgive you."

"No need to say sorry. I'm just glad you finally figured it out. I mean I knew it a while ago…but I figured I would wait around for you for a bit longer." He took the flower out of her hair again. "And for your sake, I'll try not to die Ayano. That's all I can promise."

She looked at him. Sometimes he seemed so mature. Not like a typical flirtatious guy. It was moments like these when she really saw him.

"Well you don't need to wait any longer. I'll catch up."

"Well you are 18 now you're almost there."

"I don't want to be almost there. I want to be here." She said looking to the side. "I don't want to be seen like something less. I want to be someone you can depend on to you know."

"I do depend on you."

"Then don't say I'm almost there!"

He smirked. She just wouldn't settle for less.

"Stop smirking Kazuma, and kiss me already." She said and grabbed the nape of his dress shirt and pulled him down.

"As you say Fire Princess." She saw him look at her in a way that wasn't full of suggestion like he always did. It was softer.

He was staring at her hair in a mess of red on the white bed. Her white dress, made her look so beautiful against her slightly tanned skin from the sun the past two days, and yet he couldn't forget the flame within her. He'd known for a while now Tsui Ling was really gone. What they'd had lasted only for a short while but the scars would heal. With Ayano, well she'd helped him heal those scars and find a new place here again. He wouldn't let anything spoil his happiness this time.

He kissed her more purposefully this time, his hand resting under her chin, his other elbow propping himself up over her.

She found her hands wrapping around his neck. She'd wanted this kind of feeling for such a long time, but she'd never been sure where they stood. Now she knew.

She felt him kiss her neck. Not like he normally did, but with more purpose.

"Kazuma…" She breathed his name into the air.

"Should I stop?"

"No, don't." She mustered her words out. She didn't want to stop. She wasn't going to let her embarrassed nature bring out her anger this time.

He heard the passion in her words. He looked at her with a smile. "You know if I start now I don't know if I could stop…"

"Stop saying such flirty things and just-"

"Kiss you, got it." He said his smirk dulled down to a gaze into her eyes. She looked up at him with blushing cheeks.

He kissed her deeply and she felt her heart fluttering. He put his hand on her waist as she pulled her hand around his neck, as he began to kiss down her neck. She felt herself breathing hard for now apparent reason. His body pressed down onto hers. His weight and his warmth, it felt so right.

He leaned into her and whispered in here ear. "Ayano, do you trust me?"

Her eyes opened a little and then nodded.

"Are you sure?"

She took her hand to his face. "I do."