When he voiced her name, Kagura knew very well what he was about to say.

She could clearly feel his desire growing and throb against her, and though it was somewhat scary, she couldn't hold back either. So, before he could tell her what she was already aware, she kissed him full on the mouth, exposing his back and shoulders as she rid him of his yukata.

While he groaned at how she literally tried to eat him, the girl rubbed herself against his lower body to let him know that she was more than ready.

Yet when the cold air grazed her crotch and that her panty hung on her ankle, her pulse quickened at lightning speed.

He entered slowly, but her heart somehow stopped, her innards throbbing with an unknown feeling. It was painful, indeed, but she had expected far worse than that for a first time! However, she couldn't get used to the fact that they were… connected.
How awkward to actually feel 'something' so deep inside her. How curious to feel every part of his naked body glued to her own. How funny to know exactly what to do when she had no experience at all. How unbelievable to share such an intimate moment with someone like the Sadist! How interesting to see all those various sides of him. How frightening to feel so good and to keep wanting always more...

How impossible to not fall in love.

Sougo felt how the girl suddenly tensed up under him. The tightness told him it was probably her first time –though he would have thought otherwise- and assumed that she was undoubtedly suffering.
To his surprise yet, she clutched her legs around his waist and began rocking her hips against his. The thought of giving her the time to adjust vanished as soon as he heard her moaning again. He kissed her deeply to muffle the sounds and she hugged his neck tightly in return.

Kagura's discomfort quickly turned into something else. The seesaw motion felt much, much more pleasant and somewhat addictive. She had the feeling he was stroking her from the inside, reaching a spot that felt so good she couldn't even control the jerks of her body that forced her back to arch and her thighs to crush him.
Going crazy, she rolled on the side to straddle him at her own pace.

Sougo knew that he wouldn't last long if she kept being so rough on him. Digging his fingers into the flesh of her hips, he hoped to slow down her moves. In vain.
Where could she find so much strength when he could barely catch his breath?!

Painfully, he lifted himself off the floor to push her down and retrieve the leading position. He wouldn't let her do him as she pleased! He wouldn't let her rape him!
And he wouldn't have sex with her, because he would make love to her...

The time she waited while he silently stared at her felt like an eternity. She noticed something different in his look and, about to ask him if something was wrong, was cut short by his totally out of the blue confession.
-I love you

She blinked.
-W-What?
-I love you.

She gulped, unsure to know how to answer him until he caged her with his elbows, his face only an inch away from hers.
-I love you...

And slowly, he pressed his lips against hers, gently kissing her as if for the first time and somewhat fearing her reaction.

Of course, the girl was surprised! But she wasn't against trading some 'hotness' for more 'warmth'... She easily consented to his kiss, so he added a bit of tongue in his nibblings. It felt nice. Definitely softer, but not less good for all that. Actually, Kagura kind of liked his kisses better when they were slow and deep like this. She somehow felt how much he cared.

When her hands ventured through his hair, holding to his scalp while she purred with contentment, he resumed his thrusts and she yelped.

The way she felt his torso slowly rubbing her breast with each move, the raspy sound of his voice when he groaned, the veil over his gaze while he gazed at her, his lips pecking at hers when the distance allowed it, his tongue stroking her own whenever she gasped...

Was it sex -generally speaking- or was it him, the Yato didn't know but she never thought that the both together could feel this strangely good! For a time, she even wondered if it would have been the same if she hadn't pushed Kamui away on that day...

No.

She shook the thought away and hoped the Sadist would make her forget, so she voiced his name out loud.
-S-Sougo…

He answered to her call by kissing her sloppily and granted her wish by moving faster and stronger. She forgot as soon as he filled both her body and mind, pounding her sensitive spot harder while she gripped his ass through his yukata.

The more he gave her, the more she wanted, and the more she was falling...

She frowned when close to her peak and immediately clung to him as hard as she could. Himself wasn't far from it either. He tried to keep his mind sane, but the way she crushed every part of him made it damn hard... Did he swear aloud or not, he couldn't remember, but as if she had read his thoughts, she told him not to worry because today was 'safe'.

Kagura was close, oh so close…! She bit her lip, but felt like it would never stop her from screaming of pleasure. It was already quite difficult for her to hold back her Yato strength, trying her best to not wound him by 'accident' while her blood rushed so fast through her veins and her instincts raged beneath her skin, no way she could not let it out...!

When they both came, she dragged him lower to her and bit the crook of his shoulder, sinking her teeth deep into his flesh and tasting his blood.

Soon, she felt her body growing limp and way too numb to even let go of him.
-The hell was that?! He grunted between two pants, are you some praying mantis or what?! It hurts!

Kissmark was cute. Hickey was sexy. But... teeth marks?! Creepy!

She didn't mind his grumpy tone, still too stunned, still breathless.
-Sorry, I… couldn't... hold it otherwise…
-…

Her straightforward words took his own away, but Sougo swore to mark her body with his fangs so hard on their next time that she would never be able to hold it anyway!

But... would there even be a next time…?

He could probably not stop her from leaving, but could he somehow become a reason worth enough for her to come back, one day?

He gazed at her while a bitter lump formed in his throat. He swallowed and gently, brought his lips to her, kissing the only woman that could wound him in so many ways...

When his lips parted from hers, Kagura felt in heaven. He alone had that secret to make her melt with a mere kiss.

In her daze, she almost blurted out the three words that naturally came to her mind.
-I lo—

When she was about to leave for the end of the world for God knows how long? Bad idea!
Fortunately, she quickly realized how much of a mistake it was and stopped just in time.

Her chest tingled all the more when he pulled away from her.
-...I'm cold, she voiced instead.

The way he stared at her made her uneasy.

Without a word, he untied the belt of his yukata before to cover her naked body with his clothing. Then, he slipped inside his futon and tapped his hand on the place next to him.
-Com' here

She blushed but didn't notice her own lips curling into a satisfied smile. Quickly, she obeyed and slid under the blankets at his side.

He hugged her -casually- and she snuggled against his warm body -happily.

Ah! How nice~
Being held in his arms, basking in his scent and warmth, lulled by his heartbeats... Almost perfect.

Almost.

Because he spoke.
-Why didn't you tell me about your brother?

Ah, right.

Why again...?
-You expected me to tell you that my brother who tried to kill you years ago was, not only on Earth but also peacefully living with me…?
-I didn't even know that guy was your brother! He pointed out.
-Huh? You don't remember? She inquired, leaving the nest of his chest to face him.
-I do, but you never mentioned that you had siblings nor that he was the one!

Now that she thought about it... she might have forgotten to explain that little detail back then...
-Ah. Oops~
-What 'Oops', you airhead!

She averted her eyes and he sighed.
-You left to run after him, right?

She hummed.
-And now you're leaving to work with him...
-I can't let him alone. Kamui is... it's complicated, but right now he's my only family and I... I don't ever want to feel like this...

'Like this?' Like the time himself felt as if a giant hole had been dug inside his chest and that it hurt so much he couldn't feel anything else anymore, couldn't think straight anymore and simply forgot to even cry?

He paused for a time.
-…I understand.
-You do? She chimed, incredulous.
-What's so strange?
-Well, I assumed you didn't really like him…! She scoffed.
-I'd love to play more with him~ he confessed with a grin. But family is really precious…

Kagura remembered that Sougo had a sister. Dead.
-I'm sorry! She blurted out.
-Huh?
-I saw you one day… in the cemetery…
-Ah. I almost forgot that time... he deadpanned.
-You knew?!
-Who wouldn't?! It was so obvious you were hiding behind that tree!
-Ugh…

He cleared his throat.
-So… he trailed, hesitant about how to put it. In the end... I assume that my feelings are not reciprocal and that you just... came to rape me in my sleep…?
-W-Wha-?! No! That's—
-Then, that means you love me…?
-!

Her heart skipped a beat.

Trapped.

-I…

What to say?

How to share her feelings while hiding them at the same time?

How to explain what she hoped he would understand without her actually saying it?

"I love you but can't say it because it will hurt even more" ?
Nah, too straightforward!

Or perhaps something like "I'm no human, no weak Earthling; I'm a Yato, a dangerous Amanto. I'm more of a sinner than you murderer are. I'm not fit for this sunny planet and kind people. I'm fit for bloody battlefields and endless fights. Don't assume I have a heart to love you when I only quenched the lust of my powerful body" ?
Nah, too long and dramatic!

The long silence felt heavy and hard for Sougo.
-Forget it, he voiced.
-Huh?

Letting go of her, he turned the other way around.
-You're leaving early, right? Let's sleep.

She swallowed, looking at the back in front of her and missing his arms around her.

Everything was so nice just a minute ago... How did it turn out like this? So awkward and painful?

"I'm sorry"

When he opened his eyes, Sougo felt incredibly... strange.

He had dreamt so many times about the Yato girl that he wondered if what he remembered of the previous night had really happened.

Certainly, it must have been a dream because there was no redhead under his blanket right now and the place at his side wasn't even a bit lukewarm, but only—

"Huh?"

He found a little note neatly bent and silently waiting next to his futon.

Because I didn't want to see your morning-wrinkled-face, I left before dawn.
You better thank me for letting you sleep!

I'm really sorry for all the troubles I caused to everyone at the Shinsengumi so far.
I couldn't care less about you tho~

Thank you for bearing with me for all this time
I did plan to break your bones, but not your heart...

Don't know when I'll be back, but I'll try to visit Gin-chan from time to time.
Let's hope you tax-robber won't be there at that time.

Goodbye, Sadist.
Love you too.

Kagura, Queen of Kabukicho.
And your China.

His eyes blinked over and over at the words he couldn't believe to see.

"Love you too"
"And your China."

-The FUCK. Is. That...?

She really loved him back?

Wait.
Although it was quite impressive that she could read and write Kanjis, that girl was still an alien. She came to Japan at something like 14, but never attended any school like a kid her age should have... Not like her Boss could have taught her something like that either!

"What's with this shitty handwriting anyway...? Does she only understand what she wrote?!"

Damn those weird and stupid strangers!

He eyed the first clock in sight and jumped off his bed the most quickly he had ever done in his whole life.

-Did you take your whole room with you or what? Mocked Kamui as he noted the amount of his sister's luggage.
-I told you a girl needs a lot of things! Retorted Kagura.
-Yeah, yeah~ Whatev— Huh? That's strange…
-What's wrong?

He walked closer to her and tilted his head to sniff her.
-You… smell kinda different…

She blushed, a certain Sadist popping in her mind.
-Are you some dog?! She grunted awkwardly while taking a step backward. Stop sniffing me! It's creepy!

He shrugged, waving that hint away and began to walk toward the mountain of bags.

He stopped midway when sensing a very peculiar aura that his body remembered oh too well...

That thrill, that sudden speed of pulse, that wonderful excitation~
Was it blood thirst? Hmmm, not quite... more like the faint vibes of a cold-blooded and murderous fellow not far away~

He grinned, forgetting everything else around him.

Sougo and Kagura finally did it!

Guilty to make him suffer but sure of her feelings, she tells him in a letter that she loves him too.
But Sougo can't believe that the girl actually loves him too. He suspects her to have made a mistake knowing she's a stranger who lacks some basics in Japanese and never got any proper education. Both hopeful and pissed off, he chases after her to finally get his answer.

Will Kagura confess before her departure?
Will Sougo stop her from leaving?
Will Kamui stay put when he'll discover that one of his old enemies is now his love rival?

Answers in the next chapter to come!