A/N: Mature content ahead. Discretion is advised. Enjoy!

Chapter 20

Atsuna felt lightheaded as Tasuki's mouth captured hers, holding her in a kiss that threatened to steal every last drop of oxygen from her lungs. But she didn't care.

Tasuki moved his mouth from her lips, not before stealing one last, short kiss, and traveled a slow, torturous journey down the front of her neck. He grazed open-mouthed kisses to her collarbones, his tongue sliding from between his lips and tracing wet, warm circles on her flesh. She bit back a moan, electrified tingles sparking to life through her pores.

She slid her fingers in his fiery hair, tugging the soft, wild locks while his fingers moved under the folds of her bathrobe, slowly pulling away the fabric until her full, taut breasts popped free, her nipples dark and hard.

Tasuki swallowed, his pants feeling awfully tight, and looked up at Atsuna to study her. A hand moved from his hair to his face, silently giving her consent to continue.

He smirked toothily and dipped his head down, closing his mouth over a nipple. The wet, hot sensation caused her to jerk and choke out his name in a hushed, strained whisper. He molded his hand on her other breast, rolling the hard nipple in between his fingers. Atsuna couldn't help but arch her back into his teasing touches, her fingers tightening over his hair for stability.

The bandit begrudgingly moved away from the attention of her breasts and slowly slid down her body, his hands molding her curves as he did so. Atsuna lifted her head, watching the top of his fiery orange mane descend down her body until he wound up on the floor below her on his knees.

He wrapped his hands around her ankles and gently tugged her down the bed until her knees bent over the edge. She propped herself up on her elbows, watching drunkenly, curiously, as his thumbs hooked under the bottom of her bathrobe and he shimmied the fabric up her soft, shapely legs.

Atsuna felt her heart slamming clumsily against her chest as his fingers glided up her bare legs, her thighs, until she felt the cool air rush against the apex of her tense body.

Tasuki gripped the bunched-up fabric at her hips, his breath hitching when his eyes glazed over at the sight of her wet, swollen center, sans undergarments.

Leaving her bathrobe around her hips, he grabbed her ankles once more and propped her legs on his shoulders. He leaned forward, the sweet scent of her arousal overwhelming, and slowly, gently slid his tongue between the folds of her sex.

Atsuna gasped at the decadent, welcome intrusion, her hips lifting to meet with his mouth. Her fingers dug into the sheets beneath her as Tasuki's tongue lapped against her.

His name escaped her throat in a guttural stutter as she snapped her eyes shut, the sensations vibrating through her intoxicating and hot.

Tasuki pulled away just long enough to slide a finger into her waiting depths, pumping even, steady strokes in an effort to bring her to the precipice. He watched her, mesmerized, as she moved with his hand, casting abandon to the wind as she reached for her delicious end. The sound of her quickened panting filled the room, filled his ears.

Atsuna's eyes fell on him as he continued his ministrations. She reached for his head, gripping a fistful of his hair, causing him to meet her eyes. They stared at one another, Tasuki licking his lips and Atsuna gasping his name, while he added another finger inside her and sped up his thrusts.

And then his mouth was on her again, faster and more desperate this time, causing her to crane her neck back, a long, low moan vibrating against her throat as she bit her bottom lip.

"Don't hold back, baby," she heard him groan, the heat of his breath beating against the inside of her thighs. "I wanna hear everythin'."

Atsuna opened her mouth, prepared to stammer any kind of a response, but his tongue flicked against the bundle of swollen nerves at her opening, rousing a sharp gasp from between her lips. She eased her lower body into his mouth, wanting more.

And he delivered.

Atsuna felt the tightness in her belly, the wanton need for her end to wash over her in delectable shards overwhelming. She slid her legs from his shoulders and propped her feet on the edge of the bed, opening herself completely to his forbidden, insatiable touches.

And with one, two more thrusts of his fingers, a delicious nibble of his mouth against her, a wave of pleasure crashed over her, and his name escaped her in blissful gratitude. She jerked as her orgasm warmed her like molten gold, leaving her crying out and retreating to the bed, spent and satisfied.

Tasuki drank in every last drop of her release, pleased as he stood up and watched her bare chest rising and falling with quickened breaths. He licked his lips of her taste and admired her disheveled form, the way her bathrobe lay open at her breast, the silk bunched up messily at her hips, and her hair now sticking to her damp, reddened face.

She swallowed loud and looked up at him, her eyes half open as she gathered her wits about her. And when her tongue slowly slid over her dry lips, he knew then that her desire for him did not end there.

And he sure as hell wasn't going to deny her.

He untied her bathrobe and thrust it away from her body, his eyes taking in her beautiful form, the way her hips curved, how her flesh was so perfectly peach.

He lowered himself atop her, pressing lazy kisses against the side of her neck, her mouth. "Are ya cold?" he asked quietly in between kisses. "We could get under the covers if ya want."

Atsuna shook her head with a smile. "I'm all right. You'll keep me warm."

Tasuki chuckled and slanted a deep kiss against her – she could taste herself on him – while he eased her arms from the sleeves of her robe, leaving it lying under her. His tongue moved inside of her mouth, tasting her sweetness mixed with the remnants of her release still lingering on his lips.

The bandit could no longer take the tightness in his pants and leaned off of her. As he jerked his pants down his hips, Atsuna watched, taking in the sight of his impressive manhood as it sprang from the binds of his trousers, standing at a hard attention.

After kicking his pants away, he was atop her again, raining a trail of kisses against her breastbone, neck, and back up to her mouth once more.

Atsuna wrapped her arms around his back, pulling him down until flesh touched burning, unyielding flesh. Atsuna then became completely aware of Tasuki's hot, rigid erection pressing against her inner thigh, dangerously close to the apex of her legs. She began to ache for him, wishing he would take her, fill her up.

But for some reason, she couldn't ask him.

And she hardly had to.

Atsuna felt Tasuki's knee spreading her legs apart, and he settled himself there. But he made no move, instead cupping her face in his palm and tilting her head so her lavender eyes glittered into his amber pools.

"Atsuna, if I die tomorrow, I want ya to know –"

Atsuna pressed her finger to his lips, silencing him with a shake of her head. "No. Don't," she whispered, shaking her head against the pillow. "Not tonight. I just want…this. I just want you."

Nodding, he positioned himself at her entrance, dripping wet with anticipation, and thrust inside of her slowly. He groaned at the sensation of her hot tightness swallowing him. A hiss of air escaped her lips.

It was like instant release.

He pushed himself slowly into her, inch by delicious inch, giving her the opportunity to adjust to him. She spread her legs a bit more to accommodate him filling her and bit down on her bottom lip, choking back a moan.

Tasuki was quick to notice and shook his head. "I don't want ya to hold yerself back," he said through clenched teeth as he gently pulled himself out of her slick tightness. Atsuna opened her mouth to respond, but he drove himself back inside of her, sheathing his erection with her warmth. She gasped and bucked her hips up into his, meeting with his second thrust. "I want ya to scream. I don't care who hears. They'll know yer mine."

Atsuna answered with a pleasured moan as he began to move within her gradually and considerately, although it killed him to do so. The beast within wanted to go harder, deeper, faster, but he kept such a wildness at bay.

He swore there would be other times for that. No war would stop that.

Atsuna felt her arms being loosened from around his back. Tasuki continued his thrusts but pulled her arms away from him, easing them above her head.

"Let me take care of ya," he rasped, passion practically seeping from his mouth. Atsuna nodded lazily, licking the dryness from her lips. He pushed himself up on his knees and pulled her lower body onto his lap. He was inside of her again, daring not to leave her wanting. "Wrap yer legs around me, baby."

Atsuna whimpered and complied, her legs locking around his waist. She could feel the slow build of an orgasm stretching her insides as he resumed, each thrust sweeter than the last. She became oblivious to the constant, short moans leaving her throat to match each movement inside her.

It was like music to his ears, the guttural moans and mewls she uttered as her body moved in tandem with his. He gave into his feral craving, speeding up his thrusts until she dug her fingers into the bedding beneath her.

His dance was magical, and she tightened her eyes shut, grinding her teeth together as his thrusts became more insistent, more demanding, reaching into the deepest pits of her very soul. Her moans grew louder as his thrusts grew with equal intensity and speed, wishing and wanting for stars to rain down upon her.

She felt him lower himself upon her, brushing his lips against hers to bring her back to reality. She opened her eyes, meeting his feral amber ones.

"Don't close yer eyes," he commanded gently, trailing his slightly open mouth down her jaw line to her neck, suckling the tendon there firmly. Atsuna jerked as his tongue licked her, swirling around the small bruise forming there, a symbol that she was his and only his.

Without any real consciousness, Atsuna's hips began to buck against Tasuki's thrusts, meeting each one with equal ferocity and passion. God, she wanted, no, needed release, and she needed it now. Her legs and arms began to tremble in impatience, and, with one swift motion, she swung her arms up around his neck, burrowing her fingernails into his back and her skin searing his on contact.

He let out a deep-throated growl and awarded her with profound, harder drives until he could not delve himself inside her any deeper. Atsuna curled her toes and cried out his name loudly, her control dissolved into nothingness.

Tasuki only smirked and licked his lips, locking his eyes with hers. "Now that's what I wanna hear," he purred.

He slid his hands under her back, removing her from the bed without missing a single thrust within her. Atsuna kept her arms around his neck, her nails still stuck to his flesh. He slid her back on his lap, grasping her buttocks firmly, his smirk widening.

"Move fer me, baby. Show me how much ya want it," he growled.

Atsuna tested the waters in their new position with a few slow, fluid movements over him and, hearing him groan her name in her ear, bounced atop his erection with desperate abandon. She leaned into him, pressing a hard, lazy kiss against him. His tongue slammed into her mouth, grunting into their kiss as she danced upon his throbbing length.

Tasuki jerked from the kiss when he felt a burning sensation swirling inside of his stomach. He watched her, mesmerized by her movements atop him. Her thrusts were relentless as she leaned her head on his shoulder, panting hard and moaning low in his ear.

She could feel herself torn between the bliss of heaven and the torture of hell, both intertwining in tormented pleasure that only he could deliver upon her. She hadn't thought she needed him as much as she did at that very moment.

She felt his fingers in between their bodies, sliding in between the folds of her invaded heat. He found her nub and pinched it slightly, causing her to thrash her head back with a loud moan of his name. She clutched his shoulders for stability as she sped up her movements on top of him.

He smiled at her reaction and began flicking her nub with his fingers, forcing her into a fight of moans and stifled cries for more. "Ya like that, don't ya?" he asked, rubbing his fingers against her furiously as she pumped herself up and down. She could only nod in affirmation, unable to piece together a response. "I like it, too, baby."

Her muscles clamped down on him, her nerve endings on fire. He ground his hips into hers as she moved, keeping his other hand firm on her back while the other tortured her to no end.

"Oh, God," she choked, dragging her lips over his collarbone. "Tasuki, I'm…"

The pleasure wracked her, disabling her ability to get out an intelligible sentence. Tasuki understood her with his silence and answered her with pinching and flicking on her swollen nub.

Atsuna mewled in pleasure, unlatched her nails from his shoulders, and shakily, slowly ran her hands up to his face. She pushed herself from his shoulder to look at him, their eyes meeting fervently. Drops of sweat rolled down the sides of her face, her breathing ragged.

She was right there.

Her eyes widened as a sudden crash of pleasure surged through her veins. Tasuki felt her muscles contracting around him and groaned her name through gritted teeth. She barely heard him beg for her to come with him.

She let out a shrill cry, only to be silenced by his mouth over hers. She screamed into the kiss, her orgasm shattering into pieces throughout her middle, spreading to every inch of her body. Tasuki came seconds later, clutching her to him with his free hand while his ministrations on her center slowed to nothing.

He could feel her heart beating wildly against his chest as she came down from her powerful orgasm. She rested her head on his shoulder, and they sat still with her still seated atop him, clutching one another.

As their breathing evened out and the tension left Atsuna's body, Tasuki eased her slowly on her back, following close behind. He pulled himself from her slowly and moved to lay at her side, his arm grabbing her shoulder and tugging her onto his chest.

"Tasuki."

He snapped his head down, looking at the woman who lie naked and spent against him. Her eyes were burning into his, and her mouth was curved into a gentle smile. He returned the expression and pressed his lips against her forehead, sighing happily.

"There's no way in hell either of us are dyin' tomorrow," Tasuki spoke up softly. "Especially if I can look forward to more of that."

Atsuna chuckled lightly and nuzzled her face against his bare chest. "I won't argue with that," she whispered. "It's certainly a good incentive."

Tasuki nodded and ran his hand lazily up and down her arm. He buried his face into the top of her hair, the smell of their lovemaking invading his senses.

As they lie there silent and relaxing, tomorrow's battle riddled his mind, even after their passionate interlude. He was worried, although he wouldn't come out and admit it.

He had already lost Nuriko and Chiriko. He sure as hell wasn't going to lose Atsuna. That just wasn't an option.

"I wanna share a horse tomorrow," he spoke up. Atsuna lifted her head to look at him, her fingers tracing a slow circle against his chest. "I wanna make sure yer close enough that I can protect ya."

She shook her head. "That is unnecessary, Tasuki. And besides, I thought we weren't going to talk about this," Atsuna replied, her hand reaching up to stroke his face.

"We weren't gonna talk about it while we were makin' love. We're done with that, so we can talk about it now," Tasuki pointed out matter-of-factly. "I have every right to worry about ya tomorrow, don't I?"

Atsuna pulled away to gaze at him, her face sad. "Of course you do. After sharing this with you, you have more a right than anyone. But I don't want to be a distraction on your mind tomorrow. I will be all right. I will do everything I can to see that we are victorious and no one gets hurt."

Tasuki frowned. "Yer puttin' this all on yer shoulders even after Hotohori told ya not to," he scolded. "An' I don't want ya doin' it, either. Hell, I don't want ya goin' out there at all."

Atsuna broke into a weak smile and pressed her lips against his in a teasing peck. "I know. But we don't have a choice. I think you know that deep down. But, if anything, being with you and sharing this just motivates me to keep myself, as well as all of you, safe tomorrow. I want us to have a long life together."

Tasuki sighed hard at her stubbornness and cupped her face in his hands, rubbing his thumbs against her fair skin. "Okay. Then I promise that we're gonna survive tomorrow."

Atsuna shifted, her leg now curling over his waist. "We have no other choice. We will live. We must. If we don't, then what happens to Konan?"

A growl rumbled against the bed of his chest, rousing Atsuna's attention. "Then those bastards can lay waste to it, kill the men, rape the women, an' enslave the kids." He shook his head firmly. "Ain't no way that's happenin' on my watch."

"Or mine," Atsuna added. She nuzzled deeper into his side, her face burying into the crook of his neck. Orange tendrils of hair tickled her face, but she paid it no mind. "I've seen too many bandits and pillaging done throughout the lands. I can't see more. I can only hope we have the blessings of Suzaku and Hikari, of all the gods, on our side tomorrow. We are going to need it."

Tasuki couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding. If he were to die tomorrow or, Suzaku forbid, Atsuna, he wanted his last night on this earth to be one for the books, one where he and Atsuna would be enveloped in nothing but pleasure and each other.

He spun around, draping himself over her. Atsuna stared up at him in confusion, her cheeks heating once more, as she felt his erection sparking back to life and brushing against the still-wet center of her body. He leaned down and pressed his mouth against her breast, slowly spreading her legs apart.

Swallowing, she threaded her fingers through his hair. "Tasuki, what are you doing?"

He pulled away from her breast, his hand slowly journeying down her stomach to the apex of her legs. His fingers skittered over her, rousing a moan from her throat. "I think I need a little more of ya before I can fall asleep," he growled.

Atsuna said nothing, did nothing, to stop him, suddenly needing him once again.

And this time, she felt no shame in screaming out his name.

Atsuna gasped loud and jerked up in bed, the sheets cascading away from her nakedness. She found herself staring out into the darkness. Alarmed, she flicked her wrist, forming several spheres of light that now illuminated the room in a gentle golden glow.

Another nightmare.

She sighed and closed her eyes, pressing a hand against her face as she fought to steady her erratic breathing. She could feel sobs welling up against her chest. She brought her other hand to her face, hoping to muffle the sounds of her cries.

He's gone. He's dead. He can't hurt you anymore. Stop crying. You're safe. Just a nightmare, Atsuna. Only another nightmare.

She felt a body shift next to her, a hand resting on her arm, causing her to jump slightly in surprise. She turned her head, watching as Tasuki, also naked, sat up next to her.

"Hey. What's goin' on?" Tasuki asked sleepily, his eyes half-lidded. He blinked the sleep from his eyes and noticed, with the aid of her powers of light, that a tear glistened as it trickled down her face. His eyes snapped open in alarm and turned to face her, his hand instantly on her face. "Hey, what's wrong? Why are ya cryin'?"

Atsuna sniffled and shook her head. "Nothing. I'm all right. I just had a bad dream. You can go back to sleep."

Tasuki frowned. A deflection. "I don't think so, woman. We just made love fer the better part of the night, what could be our last night together, an' yer gonna sit there an' try to tell me everythin's peachy? Spill it. Tell me what happened."

As Atsuna thought of how to answer him, his arms were around her now, tugging her back down to the bed with him until she lay comfortably on his chest. The spheres of lights hung above the bed like lanterns, flickering a gentle glow.

"Did ya have a dream about the battle tomorrow?" he asked after a short moment of silence. He stroked a hand up and down her bare arm. "Ya don't hafta worry. We promised each other we wouldn't die. It ain't happenin'. No one is gonna stop me from makin' love to ya an' givin' ya everythin' ya want fer the rest of our lives. I'll kick anyone's ass who tries."

Atsuna smiled weakly, appreciating his effort to alleviate her tension. "No, it wasn't about the battle. I…" She swallowed hard, curling her hand on his chest, as the nightmare returned to her mind in flashes. She snapped her eyes shut, silently praying for Hikari's warmth over her like a spring rain. "I had a dream about Ryozo."

His hand stopped rubbing her arm, and his body suddenly tensed. He lifted his head, looking down at her in disbelief. "Ya had a dream about that bastard?" He paused, the worst passing through his mind. He hated to ask, but the words flew from his mouth in curiosity. "What kinda dream?"

Atsuna closed her eyes, the tearful pleas of her 14-year-old self echoing through her head, before she answered him. "I think you know."

Tasuki released her and sat up in bed, bringing a leg up to lean his elbow on his knee as he buried his face in his palm. Atsuna pushed herself up, grabbing the sheet to cover herself. She watched him as he sat there in silence, his fingers raking through his untamed, bedridden hair.

"Even after that guy is dead, he's still hurtin' ya," Tasuki whispered, anger flicking from his tongue. He shook his head, curling his hand into a fist in his lap. "If I could, I'd bring him back to life just so I could kill him myself. An' I'd take my sweet time doin' it."

He turned to look at her, his face tortured. "Is it because I made love to ya that ya had a dream like that? Is it 'cause of me?" He didn't give her a chance to respond, pressing on. "It was, wasn't it? It happened too fast. Ya weren't ready. I pushed ya into doin' it when ya weren't ready. I shouldn'ta touched ya. I'm no better than him."

Atsuna shook her head hard, eyes wide in horror. "No! Stop!" He stopped his tirade, turning to look upon her. She sighed, lowering her gaze into her lap. "This isn't the first time. I've had dreams like that quite often since I escaped from him. It had nothing to do with you."

Tasuki's face hardened, color rushing away from his cheeks. He felt his stomach turn in knots. "Please tell me yer kiddin'."

Atsuna's face fell, and she leaned back against the headboard, hugging the sheets to her neck. "I'm afraid not."

She felt him shift next to her, as if he wanted to reach for her but was unsure of whether it was appropriate, even though he had spent the night making love to her in her bed. She lifted her head to look at him, his face telling no lies. He wanted to hold her, to make her feel better.

"He would be quite pleased to know he's had a lasting effect to the point of him haunting even my dreams," Atsuna said, her voice soft and meek. "I suspect I'm not the only one of his victims that suffers the same way."

She looked up, her eyes fixated on the dim, flickering balls of light floating above them. "He used to tell me that no one would want me after all he did to me," she said quietly. "And I believed him."

Tasuki shook his head. "Hell no." He moved towards her, his hands cupping her face in his palms. "Do ya still believe that after tonight?"

Atsuna stared at him for a moment before shaking her head. "No, I don't. I don't believe that anymore." She ran her hand along his face, her thumb stroking his bottom lip. He puckered his mouth against her fingers. "I don't believe anything he ever said to me. But it'll take me some time to be able to completely move on from all of that torment."

He pressed his mouth against hers in a short kiss, desperate to drive Ryozo from her thoughts. "Then don't spend yer nights havin' dreams about him. He sure as hell don't deserve it." He grabbed her hands, loosening them from the grip of the sheets so they could fall away from her body. His eyes scoped her nakedness, his gaze falling heatedly on the perk of her breasts. He licked his lips. "Dream about me. Dream about me makin' love to ya. Suzaku knows I've been doin' that fer a long time to get me through."

Atsuna slid a hand against his cheek in gratitude. She flashed him a small smile, a shade of crimson splashing across her cheeks. "I think I know of something that would be far better than having dreams about making love with you."

Tasuki's brow lifted in curiosity. "An' what's that, babe?"

She wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her nakedness against his. His hands grabbed her hips, holding her tight against him. "I've always been of the impression that reality is better than fantasy."

Tasuki grinned, licking his lips at her implication. His stomach tickled in anticipation, knowing exactly what she was getting at. But still, he had to hear the words. "Just what are ya sayin' exactly?"

Atsuna leaned into him, grazing her lips against his ear. "I want you to make love to me again. Make me forget about him. I want to only be thinking of you, of us."

Not needing to be asked twice, Tasuki twisted around with her against him, laying her down on the bed and hovering close above her. He ripped the sheets away from her, leaving her naked under him to admire like a piece of priceless art. "Well, when you put it that way, who the hell needs sleep?"