Well faithful fans, here's the chapter that gave the story a rating of M...enjoy

He's not asleep, but instead picking up a white shirt off his bed. He must be as lost in thought as I was, because he doesn't move to look at me. He's wearing his black workout pants, but not much else. He got rebandaged; they're crisp and white like his shirt, looped tightly under his arm and over his shoulder. He holds the shirt up, but then sighs deeply and leans over to put his hands on the bed. He rests like that, head hanging down and defeat coming out with every breath. I know I have to do something, but my body and voice won't respond. I just stand there, at a loss.

I think he feels my eyes upon him because he suddenly turns around. Wow, what a body. He's every bit as muscular as his arms, Adonis would be jealous. He looks surprised, but then his eyes turn steely.

"Do you think this wise?" he says softly, shirt still in hand.

I look down at the ground, unsure of what to say. "I don't know what to think of anything anymore." I meet his eyes. "But I knew I couldn't just walk away. How could I?"

His eyes stay steady. "It's something you'll get used to. When you are as we are, you realize choices have to be made for the greater good. Sometimes the greater good means doing what you don't want to do, but you get used to it."

The waves of cerulean wash over me; waves of honesty, waves of kindness, and even waves of uncertainty. I can tell he thinks he believes what he's saying, but he doesn't truly feel it.

"I keep hearing that, but I believe in exceptions."

The waves soften. "What?"

"We are an exception to the rule. Unless, of course, all you are is just used to me because of an order Yoshitsune gave you."

He closes his eyes. His head dips down slightly as his free hand scratches the back of his head. "You know that's not the case, but I don't see the point in doing this. What will it change?" He turns so his naked back faces me. "It'll be for the best if you turn around and don't look back."

He can't mean it. Even if he does, I can't do that.

Instead of taking a step back, I take a step forward. "Kazemasa, please…"

Every muscle in his body seems to tighten. "You've turned my world upside down for long enough. This, all of this, it doesn't matter, so why prolong it? It just makes it worse."

I should have known it would be like this, but I don't give up. "If that's truly how you feel, then I'll walk out of here and I'll pretend like I won't look back. But before that, I want to know what hajimete ata tokikara sukidata means."

As if I'd walk away either way.

He keeps his back to me. "I don't think that's a good idea."

I take another step forward. I know he hears me, because he whips around and scales up the intimidation factor. He holds his arms to the side, flexed, with his hands in tight fists. His face is in a deep scowl, and his eyes seem to be molten ice. "I still have miles to go before I will consider myself to be even half as skilled as Wada Yoshimori, and he didn't waste time on useless emotions. Well, he did once, and that turned out so well, didn't it? So it doesn't matter that I became a better man the first time I held you in my arms, and it doesn't matter that hajimete ata tokikara sukidata means that I've loved you from the first moment I saw you…"

He trails off. His hands slowly unclench, his arms begin to relax, and his eyes flow with sadness. "Do you see what I mean? What difference does this make beyond feeling worse? We just need to say goodbye."

But had my heart wings, it'd be flying out of my chest right now. He feels the same way I do! This goes beyond responsibility and duty, it's two hearts begging for the chance to stay together.

I clasp my hands together and hold them against my chest. I want to run up to him and fling my arms around him, but something slows me down. Does he have a point?

I look into those gorgeous eyes, sadness still tracing through them, and I have my answer.

I walk up to him slowly. He continues in his stance, the sadness in his eyes has entwined with tenderness, and I hope my eyes show the depths of my love for this man. This incredible, selfless, handsome man. Future be damned.

I stop a few inches in front of him. "The difference is we'll have this moment. Even if it's just one, it'll be ours." I rest my hand on his chest. "I'd want it forever, but I'd cherish any amount of time that you're mine." I can't look away from his cerulean depths. "I love you too, Kazemasa."

I can feel his heart beating faster. His long forgotten shirt falls out of his hand. He slowly reaches up and puts his hand on top of mine. He holds it, then brings it up to his lips and gently kisses my fingertips. My eyelids flutter and a soft purr brews deep in my throat.

He puts my hand on his cheek right before turning to kiss my palm. He looks back at me and gently touches my face. He drops my hand and places his other hand on my face. His touch is like sugar in the sun.

He leans in slowly, stopping just before his lips touch mine. "Stay with me." He whispers.

My lips ache for his kiss. "I'm yours."

His lips meet mine. The urgency behind the kiss is a force unlike any I've ever known. It's fierce, innate, and the most archaic of all human emotions. Desperation flows through our lips, our tongues meeting slowly before they begin a dance of urgency and passion. I wrap him in my arms tightly, never wanting to let go and never wanting to stop tasting him.

I feel my kimono slip off my shoulder. The bare skin seems to call his name as he pulls away from my lips and eyes my shoulder. He gently runs his hand down it, and then his lips begin to follow his hand. I close my eyes and my head slowly tips back as he covers my shoulder with soft kisses. He pulls me closer, one hand massaging the back of my head as his lips now move up the curve of my throat. A purr of arousal escapes my lips, and my hands sweep through his hair. I feel him gently nip on my throat. Sandalwood wafts enticingly of his skin. I purr again, and my hands hold tightly onto his hair.

"Kazemasa…" I moan, feeling the moisture between my legs increase with every touch from him.

Suddenly, he scoops me up in his arms. The change and swiftness in his action has me gasp. He nuzzles his face into my hair as he lays me gently across the bed. "It's okay darling, I've got you." He continues to lean over me then touches me face. "I always will."

Always…God that sounds so good, if only…

He looks deep into my eyes as his hand continues caressing my face. Slowly, his hand leaves my face and moves down my throat. His eyes follow the movement of his hand, and I feel him place his other hand on me as he reaches my collarbone. They continue downward, gently caressing down my breasts. My back begins to arch as I push further into his loving touch, my body craving more with every inch he touches.

"Mmmm…"

Further down his hands move, until they reach the waistband of my kimono. He glances at it with want and intrigue, and then he pulls on both ends of the sash. The cloth begins to fall away from my body. He places his hands back on my waist, and pushes the kimono away. He looks at my naked body in wonder. His eyes seem to take in every inch, like he's soaking in the scene to create a vivid, everlasting memory. It makes me feel incredibly sexy, and I feel my legs beginning to part.

He leans forward again and strokes my inner thigh. "You're so beautiful." He strokes closer to my moistness. The dripping stream is becoming a raging river, and I'm craving the urgency from earlier.

"Kazemasa, please…" He strokes closer to my wetness, and raises his eyebrows at the request.

His hand leaves my thigh. "Please what, my darling?" His hands slide into the waistband of his pants. I can see his hardness bulging against his pants, aching to get out. A seductive smile crosses his lips. God, he looks so good.

I prop myself up to get a better view of his strapping body. "Make love to me, Kazemasa."

"I will." He sensuously pulls down his pants. As he stands back up, my eyes widen. Seeing him fully erect, in every possible sense of the word, I find myself flabbergasted.

That's all the encouragement he needs. He gets on the bed and slowly lowers himself on top of me. Skin to skin, a raging heat pours between us, like two flames joining into a wildfire.

"Madly." He says, kissing my cheek. "Deeply." He kisses my other cheek. "Passionately." He kisses my lips intensely. Our tongues find each other again, caressing into a delectable rapture. I latch onto him hungrily, my legs wrapping around his and my hips moving upwards towards his.

His hips match mine and he glides inside me. When we are connected entirely, I leave his lips and cry out. He puts his arms around me so that no part of us is untouched. He moves his hips, slowly sliding out, then sliding slowly back in just before he leaves me. I cry out again, consumed by love and desire.

He looks into my eyes and gives me a tender kiss. "It's alright, darling. I've got you."

"You do," I say softly, my words already a bit breathless. "Don't stop, Kazemasa."

He pushes in deeper, and my eyelids flutter as a moan escapes out. He puts his lips by my ear. "Kokoro no sokokara aishiteru."

I melt into him, and we rock into a gentle, loving rhythm as one.

I awake several hours later. It could be morning, it could be night, I don't care. I have a sheet wrapped around me, and I am awash in a sea of afterglow, a wonderful exhaustion is running all over my body. If I could freeze this moment right now, I would.

I look over at Kazemasa. He's sound asleep. I am tired but I feel so alive, like my relaxed skin is the only things holding my bones together to stop them from going every which way in jubilation. I reach over and softly stroke Kazemasa's hair. He looks so vulnerable when he sleeps, so unlike the tough guy exterior he constantly projects. My heart surges with love for him all over again. I wonder if I could kiss him without waking him up?

I decide to try. I lean in and softly brush my lips against his. A thousand sensations of yearning surface instantly. A kiss him again, this time longer. Let these lips be the only ones I'll ever kiss.

Suddenly, Kazemasa puts his arms around me and holds me close. I'm now lying on his chest. I can tell by his breathing that he's not yet awake. Does he hold me in his dreams as well?

I can feel myself getting rocked back to sleep by the gentle rhythm of his breathing, but before I slip back to sleep, his hands slowly move up and down my back. I peer up. He's looking at me, and gives me a smile of pure satisfaction. "I never knew I was missing a piece of me until I loved you."

Yes. "I know what you mean." I put my hand on his heart. "I am whole; it's like we were made to fit together, to have our hearts beat together until they were of one heart."

"One heart…" he whispers, "Yes, the sense of completion I've been searching for my whole life; who would have thought it wouldn't come from my katana?"

I rest my head back on his chest. "One moment is no longer enough Kazemasa, I will not leave you."

Where do we go from here?

His embrace fortifies. "Nor I you. However, to be honest, I don't know what to do next. The Guardians will come at any moment, and you know what they'll say."

I do, and they're wrong.

I prop myself up and meet his eyes. "Then let's go. We'll leave, together."

He moves his hands to my arms. "That is reckless. We still have a duty to fulfill."

He's right, and yet I see no other option. "I know, but let's do it together. We can protect ourselves and each other. We are intelligent, strong, and if we were indeed touched by our ancestors, I'd say we're pretty unstoppable!"

He looks pensive. "Maybe, but try to think this through; we've never been away from the Guardians. There's much we may not be prepared for."

"There's not time to think it through, you said so yourself. If we don't leave together, we may never see each other again. Is that what you want?"

"You know it isn't, but…"

"But nothing! Must you be so practical?" My impatience is mounting by his lack of impulse. We're together, everything else we can work out along the way. We can make this work!

He sighs. "I've been at this longer than you have, I've gotten used to automatically contemplating what's rational. It's not that I disagree with you, but if we're going to set the world on fire we have to make sure we don't get burned by the flames."

I cock an eyebrow. "You were consumed by flames last night."

To my surprise, his face flushes. "I had considered all options, and staying with you was the only one that felt right. Certainly not the smartest, but right nonetheless." He reaches up and touches my face. "You know we can't just hope for the best here, there is a higher order. If we're serious about this, we have to be ready for anything and everything. We really need to think this through."

I hate to admit it, but he's right again. I think about my newfound responsibility, everything that's been done to keep us alive, and my ancestors. Plus, I'm supposed to go back to my university and finish my doctorate. Ok, he has a point, a lot is at stake. "Of course, we're not teenagers. I just think we can do what needs to be done together. I've got to find that sword. I don't even know where to look. I doubt it's in this country, that's for sure."

"You got a sword? That's more interesting than mine. I have to find the crest of the empress. No one knows for sure what it even looks like; there's drawings and not much else. It's most likely not in the US either."

I can't help but laugh. "It sounds so ridiculous, doesn't it? You and I should be discussing going on a date, not where we're going to find these artifacts lost to civilization."

He nods. "A date..." He hooks his index finger on the top of my sheet. "It would appear uncertainty and fear accelerates the dating process. Where would you want to go on a date anyway?"

Is he serious right now? "I thought being caught was imminent, we have no time to talk about dates!" Not that I don't want to, yesterday that was all I wanted; he's right about things expediting. I look at his hand, his finger still hooked on the sheet right above my breasts. Libido begins to haze over his eyes. He tugs the sheet down a little, now revealing the slopes of my breasts in their milky splendor. I feel like hazing over myself and letting him continue, but…

I push his hand away and pull the sheet back up before he completely exposes me. "Is that all it takes to get you to lose focus? If so, I should have asked you everything naked...you would have said yes and we'd already be gone."

He smiles. "How about you pull that sheet down and show the world to me?"

I can already feel the pink arising on my cheeks. "Kazemasa…"

He hooks his finger back onto the sheet's top. "This is like draping a cloth over The Birth of Venus; such beauty should never be covered."

He starts to pull it back down again. "Kazemasa…"

He unhooks his finger and runs it down the length of my throat and into my cleavage. I'm starting to melt.

"Besides, I want to touch you. Let me touch you."

"I…"

I want to fall, but we just can't. Giving in means possibly getting caught, and then…wait a minute, does he WANT to get caught?!

I tug myself away. "You don't want to leave, do you?"

He frowns. "And what do you mean by that?"

"Isn't it obvious? If you don't want to leave with me, why can't you just say so? You don't have to butter me up with sweet words, that's wrong." He doesn't want to leave with me…

But my moment of anger wanes when he responds by becoming steely. "I'd like to think that you know me better than that. Furthermore, were you even listening to me a moment ago? We can do this together, I just wanted you to think it through and not be driven by impulse."

I sigh. "You taught me not to hesitate."

This actually gets a laugh out of him. "Yeah, well, there's an area between hesitation and impulse that one must reside in." He sits up so that he's now an inch away from my face. "I should probably be offended that you thought I'd choose getting caught and being pulled apart over leaving together, but this is a delicate time, so I understand."

"Delicate?"

He leans in further. "The time within afterglow always is, wouldn't you say?"

He's so close that, despite everything, I find myself blushing hardcore. "Oh…well…"

He laughs again and suddenly pulls me in for a kiss. "You have nothing to worry about darling. You're right, whatever faces us now, we'll face together."

With that, he kisses me again.

SLAM!

The door slams open. I yelp and roll of Kazemasa, scrambling to get more blankets on me. Kazemasa jumps up and positions himself in front of me, blocking my view.