Chapter 10 Hot Sex

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I woke up to something warm and wet rubbing against my face.

Now, I knew that was strange, because nothing like that had ever happened to me before.

There was a muffled giggle, and I opened an eye.

On the edge of the bed sat April, fully dressed for the weekend, holding Jeik up to my face as he tried to lick me awake. I screwed my face up, and she giggled. "Ohayo gozaimasu."

"Ohayo." I smiled, and sat up. "What are you doing?"

"Effectively waking you up."

I wiped at the wet spot on my cheek, and nodded. "Effectively."

She giggled evilly, then kissed me on the cheek. "Go brush your teeth, and stuff, and I'll fix breakfast."

When I returned, April had done as promised, and fixed eggs and toast. It was strange to eat American-style food in Tokyo, when the only place I had ever eaten it in was America. It kind of took me back.

Jeik wandered up to me and whimpered as I walked into the small kitchen. I kneeled down and gave him a good pat on his head, and he licked my hand in return. "Sorry about last night, buddy," I whispered to him. "I kind of kicked you out, didn't I?"

He barked, and ran over to his food bowl as I stood up. I walked up to April, who was pouring us both orange juice, and put a hand on her lower back.

She leaned into me, and sighed, setting the jug down. She was quiet as she turned to me and smiled, wrapping her arms around my middle to hug me. I set my chin on the top of her head, and looked out of the tiny window above the stove.

I smoothed her hair when she didn't move, and kissed her hairline. She responded by hugging me tighter, and sighing.

"Are you okay?" I asked her.

"I'm just happy," came her muffled reply.

I got this warm feeling in my chest. I made her happy? I wanted to laugh, or cry, or something. Just knowing I made her happy had given me the best feeling in the world. So, I tipped her chin up and kissed her.

"Good," I said when I pulled away.

She smiled. "Go sit before your food gets cold."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"What should we do today?" April asked.

I hadn't the slightest clue. I took a sip of my orange juice. "You wanna. . . go somewhere?"

"Yeah."

"Where?"

"I dunno. . . hey. . . why don't we find an empty highway, and just cruise to some loud music with the windows open, and the wind blowing through our hair-"

"Tough luck."

"Why?"

"An empty highway? There aren't any."

April's face fell, and a look of determination settled on her features. "Well, there has to be *something* we can do. This city isn't exactly empty."

I smirked to myself. I could think of plenty of things for us to do. . . that didn't even require leaving the apartment. . .

Then, I mentally punched myself, and immediately felt extremely bad for thinking something like that. April had been *raped*, and still wasn't over it. I wasn't even sure how she was able to get as far as she had the night before. I wondered if asking her about it would cause any tension.

"You're quiet," she said then, scooping some scrambled eggs onto her fork.

I looked up at her, and leapt. "Last night. . ." I started.

"Yeah?" she asked with a mixed look of amusement and sadness.

I bit my lip. "You seemed so comfortable with me. . . you know. . ."

"I don't get you."

"Well, you were. . . you know. Raped." I felt bad even whispering the last word around her. "How were you so comfortable? With going as far as you did?"

Her features softened, and she blushed a little. "Rape and. . . hot sex are two totally different things. Fortunately, I've recently learned to separate the two." She reached out to grip my hand, then held it in her own, turning it over and running her fingertips over the insides of my fingers, making me shiver. "I'm not afraid of you," she continued. "I know you would never hurt me, and I don't want to compare you to h-him. That's why I got so upset last night when you took my hair down. I had c-compared you to something he did, and I felt bad, and the memories. . . well, you know."

I nodded.

"It's been a year," she said, still running her fingertips over my hand. "And I've never been someone who lets things bother me for long. In the waking hours, anyway," she smiled. "It's just. . . the dreams. And sometimes, like last night, I have flashbacks. I had one at work one day, and that's how Mikey found out about it. He's been protective of me ever since. As long as you're around, and him. . . I never think about it. I'm ready to have a relationship again. The only time everything doesn't seem like a dream is when I'm asleep." She kissed my hand, and I frowned a little, pondering over her last comment.

"Everything as in. . . what happened?" She nodded. "I've been doing well," she told me. "My therapist says so." She smiled proudly, then frowned. "That just made me sound crazy."

"You *are*," I teased, laughing.

She bit my finger.

"Ow!"

Then giggling, she started to sing an old song I recognized, teasingly, "'You may be right, I may be crazy, but it just might be a lunatic you're lookin' for!'" She laughed out loud as I blushed, and tried to keep a straight face, but failed.

I rolled my eyes, and she giggled. Soon, I smiled, as well, and turned shy. I wanted to kiss her, or something, but it seemed more awkward when you were finally out in the open, and in the daylight, for that matter. When we were in a dark bedroom, pulling her close seemed easier.

I decided it wasn't the right time, and finished my breakfast, instead.

Ringo wandered in out of nowhere, as usual. He flicked his tail impatiently, for attention.

"He's gotten bigger," I commented.

April nodded. "A little."

"Hey, neko," I said to him, scratching him between his ears. He mewed in reply, and turned to April for attention.

Jeik romped over then, and, setting his front paws on Ringo's back from behind, knocked the cat over. Unperturbed, Ringo just rolled with him, and batted at the pup's nose playfully, bearing his little fangs.

April smiled. "They get along so well."

I didn't say anything, just nodded, watching the animals.

'Hot sex,' I thought suddenly. It had just hit my sad, slow little brain. April had said, "hot sex." *Hot* sex. I rubbed my chin thoughtfully. The night before *had* been hot. It made me happy to know April had thought so, too.

Too bad we hadn't got to finish.

I frowned.

"Earth to InuYasha!"

I looked up. "Nani?"

"Where'd you go?" April asked, amused.

I shrugged. Then the phone rang.

April got up, and ran to the phone like a kid. I laughed, and shook my head. Some things about her were just so-

"Hello? . . . June-bug!!!! . . . You are? Yes!!! . . . Okay! Bye!" April squealed, and hung up.

"Your sister?" I asked.

"Yup! She's coming over!" April picked Ringo up off the floor and sauntered out of the kitchen. "Got to clean the place up, the living room's a mess. Oh, and the lamp in the bedroom is still on the floor from last night," she called out to me.

"The lamp?" I asked.

"Yeah," she replied, bending over to pick a shirt up off the floor, her long ponytail sliding to hang to the ground. "That's what I hit when I threw your jacket." When she stood back up, her face was red, but I couldn't tell if it was from bending over, or the topic of discussion. I blushed myself, and got up to clean the kitchen.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

When the doorbell rang about thirty minutes later, April smiled excitedly, and opened the door to reveal a the cutest little Hispanic girl I had ever seen. She was very short, only about '5"2, and her eyes lit up when she saw April, and gave a brilliant smile. "Hey!"

April pulled her sister into an immediate hug. "June-bug!!!! Come in!"

June walked in and looked around, an I got the impression that she was seeing April's apartment for the first time. Her eyes searched the room, and when they found me, standing awkwardly with an almost-friendly smile (hey, I try), I waved. Her eyes widened a little, and she smiled, her nose wrinkling. "Hi." She turned to April. "Who's *that*?"

April smiled and blushed, as if she and June shared a secret joke. "June, this is InuYasha. He lives next door."

June smiled at me again, and April pushed us over to the couch. "Go sit! Want tea?"

I shrugged, June nodded, and April went to the stove.

"So how have you been? You know, with. . ." June's voice faded hesitantly, and she glanced over at me.

"Oh, it's okay! He knows," April replied.

"Oh, okay!" June leaned back, relieved. "I wasn't sure. I didn't wanna, you know. . ."

I nodded.

"I've been fine!" April said to her, still clanging around at the stove. "With InuYasha here, and Mikey at work, everything's been great!"

"What about your dreams?"

I watched as April's jubilant pace slowed a little, so I decided to speak for her. "She's been having a few rough nights, but things are getting better."

June bit her lip. "Well. . . At least things are getting better!" she concluded brightly.

April looked over at us and nodded in agreement. When she finished she sat down on the couch beside her sister and hung an arm around her shoulders, squeezing her to her side. "I've missed you!"

"I missed you, too," June replied.

I leaned forward, and spoke in English. "You two don't look like sisters."

"June's adopted!" April explained. "But we never fully realized that until we were about thirteen! It took May and I a while to figure out she was a different nationality altogether!"

"Our parents adopted me when we were still babies, so it's never really felt like I was adopted at all," June said. "Dad wanted to have another kid, but Mom was so busy, she couldn't have one without it interrupting her work. So, they just decided to adopt." She shrugged.

"I'm glad they did!" April exclaimed, hugging June to her again.

"What is your nationality?" I asked June.

"They told me I'm Belizean. My biological mother was from Belize, and my father was Middle-Eastern."

"But then people say she looks Hawaiian," April cut in flatly.

June laughed. "But Hispanic people don't think so!" She turned to me with humor on her features. "One time, I was in a mall, and this Hispanic guy walks up to me and starts speaking Spanish! I didn't know what to do, 'cause I don't know *any* Spanish. It was funny, but it was kind of embarrassing!" April laughed. "She can speak Japanese, but she can't speak Spanish. And she's Hispanic!"

June laughed, as well. "Stop it! Spanish was boring in school. They don't teach you anything."

They grew quiet, and June looked around. "So, this is your new place. It's nice."

"Yeah. It's alright for one person. Oh! And -"April looked around, her eyebrows furrowed. She looked up at me. "Where'd they go?"

"Eh? Oh! I don't know. They might be in your room."

"I'll go check. Be right back!" April got up and went in her room. June gave me a confused look, and in no time, April returned with both Ringo and Jeik under both arms. June's face lit up. "Aww! They're so cute!"

April stopped in front of June. "This is Ringo, he's mine," she said, depositing the cat onto June's lap. "And this is Jeik! He's InuYasha's!" She deposited the pup, as well.

June fawned over them, laughing when Jeik tried to lick her mouth. "EW!" she giggled. "Dog breath!"

It made me smile, the way she and April giggled like school girls. They seemed so close, and I almost envied their sisterly relationship, wishing that I had always had that brotherly connection with Sesshoumaru. Without the giggling, anyway.

April was lucky.

Jeik leaped off of June's lap then, and sauntered over to me, and I picked him up to scratch him behind his ears.

Ringo was curling up on the back of the couch when June asked April, "Have you heard from May?"

April smirked. "The last I heard, InuYasha said his buddy asked her out on a date. I haven't heard from her, so I guess that means she's, uh, *busy*." April winked.

"Ohhhh. Busy." June replied knowingly. Then, she added flatly, giving a special look at April and myself, "Everyone's busy but me!"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Later, after June left, April and I were on the couch, her legs thrown on my lap comfortably. She was sucking on a cherry lollipop, and intently watching the movie with wide eyes. I liked to watch her watch the movie. Her facial expressions were so funny. When the character was sad, she looked sad. When they were happy, she would smile. When they were scared, she looked the same. I wondered if she was even aware she did this. And then I wondered if I did it, as well, unknowingly. I had acted for three years, after all. . .

Anyway, the phone rang. And then, as if she had been waiting for it, April jumped up off the couch and exclaimed, "I'll get it!"

I stayed where I was, but could still hear her voice over the movie.

"Moshi moshi! Well, hi! It's been a while! Yeah! June came by today. Uh- huh. How have you guys been? That's good to hear." She was silent for a moment, listening. "News? Tell me!" She grew quiet again, for longer this time. Then, softly, I heard her say, "You're yankin' my chain. No. . . *no*!" She squealed loudly, alarming me. I stood up and came to her side quickly while she laughed happily. "Oh my *god*! I can't *believe* this! *Wow*! So *soon*?" She squealed again. "Okay! Yeah, I'll tell her! When did you guys decide this, anyway? Wow! Okay! Okay! I love you, too! Bye!"

She hung up, and sighed, staring at the phone. I tapped her shoulder, and she turned to me with a brilliant smile.

"What is it?" I asked anxiously.

April seemed to be trying to get the words out, but was to happy to make a sound. She just squealed again and jumped up, throwing her arms around my neck. I hugged her waist, and asked again, laughing, "What is it, April?! Tell me!"

She set herself back on her feet and looked up at me, green eyes excited. "May's getting married!!!"

My eyes widened. "To who?!"

"Kouga!"

"You're kidding me!"

"Nope! They're gettin' hitched tonight! We *have* to go! Kouga insists that you come!"

"Of course!" I exclaimed, still surprised. "When did they decide this?"

"Just now!"

This was definitely news. Kouga and May getting married already? It had only been a little over a month since they had met at the bar. Man, Kouga was one of those guys that fell hard and fast. I prayed the marriage would work out for them.

"We have to get ready!" April was saying. She turned away quickly, then pivoted back. "I have to call June!"

I laughed as she quickly dialed June's number.

"Hey, June-bug! You doin' anything tonight? Good. You're not gonna believe this. Do you remember how I told you May was seeing a friend of InuYasha's, Kouga? Well, they're gettin' hitched! No, not Kouga and InuYasha! Kouga and May!" April was laughing hard. "Get ready, we'll pick you up! Yeah, it's tonight! Oh, it won't be anything fancy, just wear something nice, like a
skirt. Okay! We'll be there in two hours! Bye!"
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Three hours later, we were at the chapel. We found out that we would have to wait in the waiting room for an hour or so, until another wedding was finished. In the meantime, May, April, and June were all standing in a circle together, laughing and giggling excitedly. I stood beside Kouga, who was looking very smug. I just smirked at the three sisters, who were near tears.

"I wish Mom and Dad were here!" June was saying, her voice breaking with tears.

"Stop that!" April scolded. "You'll make May's mascara run!"

That seemed to do the trick, and they all laughed. May was looking very different from the girl I had met in the bar; she had her hair pulled back sleekly in one of those French twists, and was wearing a simple white dress. Her bouquet was a small bundle of daisies Kouga had picked up on their way over.

"I love Mom and Dad," May was saying, "but I couldn't wait! I'm just glad you guys are here!" She tried to hug both of her sisters at the same time.

Then, April pulled back. "I have an idea!"

"What?" everyone questioned.

"Does anyone have a cell phone?"

"I do," June said, reaching into a tiny purse to retrieve a small silver phone. "You want to call Mom and Dad?"

"Yeah! Shouldn't we?"

"Of course!" May exclaimed, snatching the phone from June. In seconds, she was being connected to America.

"This is gonna cost you," April was saying to June.

June shrugged nonchalantly. "She can just pay me back."

April sniggered.

"Hello? Mom? Hi!!! Get Dad on the other phone, I have some news for you guys!" She was quiet, listening. "Hey, Daddy! Okay. . . I'm getting married!" May made a face quickly and held the phone away from her ear, as if expecting her parents to have an outburst. When she didn't hear anything harmful to her eardrums, she put the phone back to her hear. "Hello? So. . . what do you guys think?" She was quiet for a split second, then burst out laughing. We all sent her questioning gazes, and she covered the mouthpiece and smiled. "They said, 'it's about time!'"

Relieved, we all laughed, then grew quiet once again and listened to the rest of the call.

"Um. . . right now. Yeah, in about thirty minutes." May looked guilty as she listened. "I know. . . I couldn't wait! I'm sorry!" She grew quiet. "No! That would cost June too much!" She listened, then looked over at June. She handed to tiny phone over to her, and June put it to her ear. "Hey! Yeah? Um, I guess. . . Well, no, May and Kouga can just pay me back." June smirked at May. "That'll be fine. Yeah, you guys want to talk to April? Here-"she handed the phone to April.

April took the phone. "Mom? Dad? Hi!" Her eyes filled with tears, and she looked like she was about to cry. I went to her side immediately, and put an arm around her shoulders while she talked. "Hi!" She wiped more tears away.

I looked over at May, who whispered to me, "She hasn't talked to them since. . ." Not sure if I knew, May looked over a June.

"He knows!" June assured her.

"Oh, okay!" May continued. "They haven't talked since everything happened. A year!"

"Why'd she wait so long?" I whispered back.

"It was too expensive," June explained. "She lost what little money she was making when she shut the restaurant down, and she couldn't pay for the long distance."

I hugged April to me tighter, and she was already laughing with her parents about something. "Yeah," she as saying. "I know! I've been fine, you guys. Yeah. Things have been great." She laughed again. "We're all wonderful! Actually, um, I've met someone, too. No, I'm not getting married, too!" she giggled. "He's great. He's been there for me." she looked up at me, smiling. "Yeah," she continued. "He's right here. Uh-huh. Hey, you guys probably want to talk to Kouga, huh?" She waited for a moment, then laughed again. "That's too bad," she said. "He doesn't speak English!" She laughed harder. "He's lucky, I know!"

"What are they saying?" Kouga whispered to me.

I laughed. "They're just catching up."

"And her father? Does he approve?"

I nodded, and Kouga looked relieved, as some tension went out of his shoulders, and he exhaled.

Soon, we were all in the chapel, April whispering into the phone quietly what was happening during the ceremony. Later, when May and Kouga had officially tied the knot, we all went out for beer and ice cream.

May and Kouga agreed that it was the happiest night of their lives.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~

*excited squeal*

I know! It's so great! They got married!

I'm sure you've all been crossing your arms over your chests and tapping your feet impatiently. I've been a bad girl, I know. Haven't updated in over a week! Bad Honey Bee! *Honey Bee smacks herself*

Ouch.

Anyway, I'll try no to let the next update take so long.

And the song that April was singing was "You May Be Right." I think it's by the Eagles, but I'm not entirely sure. Anyway, it's not like their agents are reading this anyway, right?

Right?

Okay, better go! The Swan is about to come on! Sayonara!

C ya!

Honey Bee