Author's Note: Sorry about the wait you guys! I hope everyone enjoys this one. Fair warning: it's going to get a LITTLE bit steamy.
Chapter 28
It was silent in the Shiba home…not counting the night wildlife that lived in the gardens that is. But one was awake, working on his symbols on a worn scroll. The leader of the Shiba clan seemed to be off in his own world: hand writing symbols yet his mind was on the matter of what had happened earlier today.
Why would Florina work so hard to capture Bianca, only to give her back so easily? Bianca still had Silverwing in her possession so it didn't make any sense…
A knock to the door interrupted his thoughts as he stopped writing as well.
"Enter."
His door opened and Bianca's head popped in the doorway.
"Still up I see."
"You should be resting." He replied, setting his quill down.
"Well I'm wide awake now." She stated as she entered, closing the door behind her.
Jayden felt his body tense as he took in Bianca's open white silk robe covering the form-fitting lilac silk nightgown that held a slit on the right side ending mid-thigh. He watched as she moved to stand beside him, glancing down at the scroll on his desk. His mind made a mental note she smelled like freshly-cut jasmine…
"Copying archives again?"
She tsked.
"You need sleep."
She then frowned.
"And a shower too…really Jay?"
He shrugged and moved to stand.
"I still have midnight meditation."
"Nope, you can do sunrise meditation. Move it mister." Bianca stated, directing him to his private bathroom.
"Bianca…"
"Jayden Shiba, we've grown up together since we were born. I'm not afraid to strip you myself."
A blush filed to both teens' faces as Jayden nervously ran a hand through his hair.
"Fine…could you…uh…"
Bianca giggled and moved to leave.
"You better hurry if you still wanna meditate. You have ten minutes until midnight." She stated, shutting the door behind her.
Blush still on his face, Jayden shed his gi and started the water to his shower.
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Cracking the door open, Jayden noticed Bianca resting on his bed, watching Lion and Thundarus play a game of leap frog. Upon hearing the door creak, Bianca turned to see Jayden enter his room. Her breath caught in her throat as she watched the muscles ripple in his back as he scrubbed the towel at his wet hair, a pair of faded red sweatpants hanging low on his hips. Lion tugged at a lock of her hair to get her attention before folding back into his emblem form.
"Are you ready?"
Bianca turned to face her best friend who now stood before her still shirtless. Unable to find the words, she merely nodded and took his extended hand as she opened a sliding door to lead her to sit on a large pillow outside in the gardens. Silence other than the usual nightlife filled the air as the two meditated together.
But neither could fully concentrate and Bianca finally stood in frustration. Jayden merely opened his eyes.
"Something's wrong with me Jay…I can feel it."
The young man silently stood, eyes never breaking her emerald gaze.
"I know Sarah said I'm fine but I don't feel fine. I feel…different."
"Good different…or bad different?" He tested.
"I honestly have no idea what the difference would be." She stated with a sigh.
He took a cautious step forward to take her into his arms.
"Why don't we get some sleep then? See how you are in the morning…"
She nodded and leaned back.
'Do you mind if I stay with you? I'm…"
Jayden held up a hand to stop her.
"Just like when we were kids."
Bianca gave him a small smile and followed him back into his room to find Lion and Thundarus in emblem form resting on the windowsill above his bed. She moved to rest her robe on the chair next to the bed and turned to hind her best friend watching her close. An unknown feeling rose up in the pit of her stomach as she felt her body move to stand before him yet again. She watched her hand rise up to trace an old scar on his shoulder that he'd received as a kid.
"I thought I'd lost you yesterday…" Jayden found himself whispering.
Bianca dared a glance into his eyes before tracing another scar farther down his arm near his elbow.
"But you didn't. I'm right here in front of you." She whispered back.
"What are you doing?" He asked when her other hand rose up to rest against his chest.
"I don't know…I've never felt this before." She admitted.
"Neither have I." He replied, hands moving to rest on her hips.
Bianca raised her gaze to connect with his when one of his hands cupped her cheek.
"I don't…"
She gave a soft smile, a twinkle in her eyes.
"I don't think we should fight it Jay…we're only teenagers after all…"
And he didn't when her lips met his. It was something new, something extremely foreign to both teens who'd grown up living in samurai customs and lifestyles. A new world was opening up as his hand slid to her back and the one at her cheek slid into her wavy hair, her hands sliding up to the nape of his neck. When they pulled away to rest their foreheads against each others, they found there was no space between them.
"Bianca…" He breathed out.
"That was…wow…" She stated with a smile.
He felt a smile come to his face to match her own as she brushed his lips across hers before pulling away to see her pout.
"That's not fair Jay…tease…" She stated, crossing her arms over her chest.
Jayden let a quiet chuckle out before pulling her to straddle his lap as he sat down on his bed.
"How about we go to the zoo tomorrow…just the two of us?"
She opened an eye at the word zoo and turned to him with a smile and a quick peck to his lips.
"Like a date?" She asked, moving to lie down.
He followed suit, lying next to her with a nod. She smiled and scooted close to lay her head on his chest as he pulled the covers over them both.
"Sounds wonderful."
