Peals of laughter pierced through the air. Tara was playing their favourite game of hide-and-seek and would frequently find a way of surprising her childhood friend Ronin as they run through the forest.
Even at a young age, Ronin was already exhibiting a good flair of tracking would-be 'preys' and yet in this instance, Tara appears to outsmart him yet again.
She hid in nearby shrubs and created a commotion on the adjacent vines nearby.
Ronin caught a whiff of her scent. She was nearby all right. "Hey, Tara…." He would croon, "Come out…come out wherever you are….."
He detected a movement among some young sapling vines. "Aha! Got ya!" Ronin instantly pounced on it, only finding it empty and he entangled amongst them .
Then out from nowhere, Tara jumps on his back and giggles.
"Oh Ronin, I think it's me who's got you!" She laughs.
"Damn! I hate it when I let you win!" Ronin replies with a smirk, pulling Tara off his back and making a grab for her. But Tara knew his weak spots. Instantly tickling him on his side torso, Ronin began bursting out in laughter.
"Tara, stop it! This isn't fair!" Ronin pulled away, hugging his body. Yet Tara continued her playful onslaught and tickled his side. This time, it was Ronin who started running away with Tara after him.
Those were among the fun days in their childhood, and now they are teen-agers.
Still chasing each other in the forest, Tara knew just how ticklish Ronin is and loves it when she finally catches up with him, taking every opportunity to tickle him again and again.
Ronin on the other hand often hides from her when she's in one of her 'ticklish' moods. Secretly he loves it when she does this to him as it gives him the chance to get even closer to her.
At one point, he managed to pin her down. Clasping both her arms above her head with his own hands, his body on top of hers, he looked deep into her enormous brown eyes. Tara was still warmly smiling at him broadly. She just turned 16 then.
Ronin gazed at her face. Out from nowhere his heart tugged when his eyes rested at her lips. Suddenly, rivers of desire coursed through his body, something he never felt before. It's as though he felt possessed. He wanted her. Craved her. His physical drive kicked in and he slowly lowered his head, lingering and waiting. He can just about reach her lips with his.
Tara remained unmoved. Her eyelids started to feel heavy as she watched Ronin's face get even closer and closer to hers.
Yet Ronin hesitated. He stopped.
With tremendous effort, he dragged himself away from her and sat up, breathing heavily.
Tara felt bereft. Empty. What just happened? Her mind raced.
In a panic, she sat up too and talking to Ronin's back she asked: "What is it? Are you okay?"
Ronin can hear the worry and concern in her voice. He continued to keep his back to her. He bowed his head.
"Tara…I…I nearly kissed you…and I don't think I ought to be doing that. You're my best friend but I'm feeling very different about you right now."
Ronin could not explain what nearly happened. In his mind he could just imagine where his desire for her would take them to. He forced himself to mentally shake that thought out of his mind. After all, she is his best friend, and his conscience says that she is still a child at a tender age of sixteen. So why is he suddenly looking at her as a woman? The revelation surprised him. He has seen her grow from that impetuous child who always seems to get them both in trouble, to this blossoming young lady with all the curves in the right places. Many times he caught himself staring at her as though seeing her for the first time. It was awakening arousals in him that he was trying to make sense of. And all he could conclude was that he was no longer a boy but a young man now, ready to take a mate.
But Tara was, and always is his best friend. He kept reminding himself.
Tara inched closer to him, covering the gap between them. Putting her arms around his waist, she leant her head against his broad back shoulders with her chest pressed against the solid wall of his back. She closed her eyes. She has known this boy – now this man – all her life and could never imagine herself without him. Her hand lazily traced the incredible contours of his abdominal muscles underneath his light tunic. His Leafman training has certainly helped create this ripped body she now wants to explore.
Ronin had to stop Tara's wandering hands. He covered her slender fingers with his large hands.
"Tara, "he gasped. "You are not helping matters."
"Really now? And why should I help…matters?" Any fingers not trapped by his hands were certainly still stroking his barely concealed skin.
Ronin sighed. She remains her mischievous self. And yet if truth be told, he was so glad and relieved she would never change. On the other hand, one of them has to remain sensible and grounded. That unfortunately falls squarely on his shoulders as the older of the two of them. Ronin shut his eyes momentarily. Life certainly is never fair.
Diversion is the answer. Reluctantly, he quickly disentangled himself from Tara's grasp. He then teased her. "C'mon! I'll race you home! And If I lose, you can tickle me all you want!"
Tara smiled broadly once more. How can she turn down such a challenge? "All right, you are on!"
Tara knew that Ronin is certainly lightning speed on his feet once he gets going but she has been doing her homework. She found a brand new shorter route to her home only yesterday which she deliberately kept secret from Ronin as she desperately wanted to surprise him. Her plan was to simply cut him off on one of the roads leading to where she lived. She smiled to herself. The added bonus is that he did say she can tickle him all she wants.
Tara already realized that he would be halfway there by now so with sheer determination and with her adrenalin pumping, she picked up the pace and ran as fast as her legs could carry her along the new route she found. She was in luck. She could just make out Ronin running towards her in incredible momentum creating the swooshing and swaying of the tall grasses in his path.
She stood at the centre of the road and took a deep breath. She was really panting very heavily from all her rush to get to this point on the road and could barely stand.
Ronin screeched to a halt. He was so shocked to see her there much to her satisfaction. He swiftly looked back then at her again. "How did you get here so fast….?" Ronin was scarcely out of breath from his sprint whereas Tara's breathing was coming in short rapid gasps.
"Well….I kind a….found this way….." She had difficulties speaking clearly and enunciating each word in between her breathing while pointing to where she came from.
"And you didn't tell me?" He smiled. "That's cheating, Tara…."
"No it's not…just decided to omit telling you that is all…." She was still catching her breath as she felt her feet starting to buckle under her own weight. She admonished herself silently: serves me right for trying to out-run him…
Ronin felt amused as he put his hands on his hips. "Well, little miss-who-hides-this-little-secret, I don't think you are in a position to tickle me."
"No? Why…?" Her legs were giving way from all that running.
Ronin caught her expertly in his arms as she nearly fell and deftly carried her.
"Just relax now, young lady, I am taking you home."
"Then when we get there….can I tickle you….?" Nuzzling his neck, she put her arms around him and laid her head on his shoulders once more as she felt herself lifted as though she weighed nothing.
Ronin laughed. "I think this time, you lost…" He kissed her forehead as her breathing started to stabilize.
"No I did not, I was here first…." Tara would at least remember his look of surprise when he saw her standing in his path.
"Let's see if you have any energy left…." Ronin gave her another one of his sweetest smiles as he carried her all the way home.
Years have passed, and now she is Queen and he, her Leafman General.
Summoning vines to hold her General in place, and allowing one of its tendrils to gently stroke his face, he muttered: "Your Majesty, I….I am not ticklish!"
Queen Tara felt so very disappointed. "Awwww…..you used to be….!"