Moi-Moi: I love to listen to music when I write. It really helps to set the tone for the scenes. I don't usually offer suggestions for songs. But I think "Mondo Bongo" by Joe Strummer &a the Mescaleros is a good song for this chapter. I'm open to suggestions from you guys though! :D
As a heads up, this chapter is pretty heavy on the limey and lemony goodness. Like, most of it is mature content. If you're uncomfortable reading that stuff, you can just skip this chapter. If you don't mind the lighter stuff, you can read on until you get to the warning. I like to give you guys a heads up when there's mature content ahead.
Anyways, enjoy!
~:~
Hitomi grinned to herself as she strutted assuredly through the hallways of Chase's lair. The most brilliant of ideas had come to her last night. Obviously, she and Chase needed some way to relieve the stress that had been plaguing them lately. If they didn't, they would only continue to go at each other's throats. They were warriors who had been bested in battle and threatened. Their Warrior's Pride had been damaged! Something had to be done to smooth their fighting spirits. But before she could pose her idea to Chase, she had to find him. Knowing him, he was probably meditating in his throne room. He'd been meditating more than usual lately.
When Hitomi stepped into the throne room, she heard the sounds of low growls, loud roars, and grunting. With a curious expression, she took in the sights before her. She didn't have much time to do so, however. Hitomi's eyes widened just before she quickly ducked to avoid being hit by a cheetah that had been sent flying towards her. The cheetah growled lowly in pain from where it collided with the wall. Hitomi raised a brow in confusion.
Chase was definitely in his throne room, but he wasn't meditating. He was sparring with at least twenty of his jungle cats at once, a fierce look of determination on his face. Hitomi watched him move, noticing the tense and forceful way he struck at his opponents. Hitomi winced when she saw a male lion crash into the wall and instantly slip into unconsciousness.
"Chase?" Hitomi called out to him.
Quickly, Chase ceased in his movements to spare Hitomi a look over his shoulder. "What is it?" he questioned, still sunk low in a fighting stance.
"I was just wondering if you wanted to spar with me. It's been awhile since you trained me," Hitomi said as she watched the jungle cats limp away while Chase was distracted. She frowned at them with pity. What was up with Chase now? He normally didn't go so harsh on the jungle cats. When he normally fought with them, it was to keep his tiger instincts and skills sharp, not as a show of strength.
Chase slowly stood up to face Hitomi with a raised brow. She was standing before him, dressed to spar while looking around at the injured jungle cats. To be honest, Chase wasn't in the right mood to fight Hitomi. He was feeling a bit tense and the last thing he wanted was to take it out on her. But he would be fighting his jungle cats all night if he was going to calm his nerves. If only there were two of him... Then he would have a worthy opponent for his strength.
"Just give me a chance. I'm sure I can put up more of a fight than the jungle cats," Hitomi said with a smirk and sunk into her fighting stance.
Chase narrowed his gaze at her one second before sprinting into an attack in the next. He didn't usually make rash decisions, but Chase was 90% sure that Hitomi would be able to defend herself. Hitomi let out a small squeak before quickly blocking the fist that had been aimed at her head. Before she could blink, Chase had already fired a kick at her mid-section. Was this a bad idea? The way Chase was going at her screamed ruthless abandon. Hitomi was sure that Chase wouldn't purposely hurt her, but maybe he was a bit more invested in winning this match than she was...
"Monkey Strike!" Chase shouted before leaping at her again.
Holding a sturdy stance, Hitomi stuck out her palm and responded, "Repulse the Monkey!"
When Chase fell backwards and rolled away slightly, he did so with a grin and low chuckle. Brushing a stray lock of hair out of his face as he stood, Chase smirked at Hitomi. "You learned well," he complimented.
"Thanks. You're a great teacher," Hitomi responded.
"I haven't taught you everything that I know though," Chase said with a grinned before he suddenly disappeared. Hitomi blinked in confusion. Where did he-
"Woah!" Hitomi exclaimed as Chase grabbed her by the front of her robes and tossed her at a wall. Twisting mid-air, Hitomi was able to land on her feet before jumping off the wall and finally landing in a crouch on the floor. Okay. Maybe Chase was a lot more invested in this than she was.
"Have you had enough?" Chase questioned. He wasn't taunting her. He was genuinely concerned for her well-being.
Despite being touched that he cared, Hitomi glared. "You're not giving up already are you?" Hitomi taunted before running at him while brandishing her Wǔqì Chopsticks.
Chase leaned back to dodge the attempted slashes of Hitomi's dagger at his face before leaping backwards to put some space between them. He had only a few seconds to prepare before a crystal arrow was sailing towards him. Before it could strike, Chase smashed the arrow with a fist. Ten more were flying towards him. With a smirk, Chase easily crushed each arrow as they approached. As the final arrow turned into a pile of broken crystal, Chase spotted Hitomi closing in on him with a crystal sword drawn above her head. Using his forearm to block her attack, Chase grit his teeth at her.
There was no doubt. He was one hundred times stronger than Hitomi. The force she was placing behind her weapon was nothing compared to the force he held in his pinky. But what she lacked in strength, she made up for in skill and craftiness. "I think you're about to lose this fight, Chase," she said with a wide grin. Chase could see the beads of sweat rolling down her face as her arms strained to hold her sword against his arm. He smirked. "You don't believe me. I'll prove it to you," Hitomi said before bringing her knee up to strike his stomach.
Chase rolled his eyes. Using his free hand, he grabbed her knee. "You'll have to do better than that, Hitomi."
"I know," Hitomi said before quickly pulling away her sword and wrapping her arms around Chase's neck. As soon as he released her knee, she had both her legs wrapped tightly around his chest. Hitomi could feel Chase gripping her sides in his attempts to push her away, his fingers digging into her a bit painfully as she squeezed her arm around his neck. She could hear and feel Chase growling into her stomach, but she didn't relinquish her hold on him. Instead, she flashed her sword-turned-dagger for him to see.
Chase growled again before quickly launching the pair of them at the nearest wall. Hitomi, who took the brunt of the attack, released a small groan of pain. Her hold on him didn't ease up, however. She was persistent. He would give her that. Gripping her arms tightly, Chase tried to pry her off him as he threw them down onto the floors. It wasn't enough force to break his bones, but he was sure that Hitomi's back would be sore by tonight. 'Finally!' It had been starting to get hard to breathe, but Chase had finally gotten her to release her hold on his neck. As soon as he tried to pull away from her, however, Hitomi's fist painfully collided with his nose. Chase nearly cursed as she once again had the upper hand.
Hitomi laughed as she pushed Chase down into the floors and quickly straddled him. He was about to make a swipe at her head, but stopped once he felt the blade near his neck. With immeasurable irritation in his eyes, Chase glared up at Hitomi's smirking face. "I win," Hitomi announced proudly.
"I hardly see the honor in your victory," Chase replied.
"You're only saying that because I got the upper hand on you and kept it. It's okay to accept defeat," Hitomi said as she struggled to catch her breath. It didn't matter that she could feel some bruises forming on her sides and back or that her lungs were on fire. She had won! With a bright grin, Hitomi stared down at Chase before pulling away the blade and returning the weapon to its harmless, chopsticks form.
Hitomi had been about to rub her victory in Chase's face some more when a strange smell caught her attention. Subtly sniffing, Hitomi furrowed her brows. What was that? It wasn't a bad smell. It was just different. Honestly, she'd never smelled anything like it. Different, but nice.
"Feel free to get off at any time," Chase said dryly from where he was still being held down. Chase rolled his amber eyes and nearly sighed. He was about to push Hitomi off him, but froze when she placed her face directly on the crook of his neck. Did she just sniff him? "What's the matter with you?" Chase asked with slight shock in his tone.
"You smell good," was the only warning he got just before Hitomi was placing her lips over his. Chase's eyes widened comically as he felt Hitomi's lips move against his. Not wasting another second, he quickly tossed the girl off him and stood up. "Ow," Hitomi moaned as she landed on her back. Normally, Chase would have helped her onto her feet. This time, his only concern was to get as far away from Hitomi as possible.
Hitomi blinked a bit to clear away the spots in her vision before looking up at Chase. She spotted his back as he tensely made his way out of the room. "Chase? Wait!" Hitomi called out after him and pulled herself onto her feet. She tried to chase after him, but once she made it into the hallway she knew he had taken, Chase had disappeared. Hitomi groaned as she hung her head.
What was wrong with her!? Did she really just kiss Chase Young!? Obviously. But why!? He probably thought she was weirdly coming on to him. It would make sense. She'd sniffed his sweaty neck and kissed him without his permission. "Oh no," Hitomi said with a small gasp. Taking off as fast as she could, Hitomi headed for Chase's bedroom. Surely, he'd be there.
~:~
Chase stood under the stream of warm water in his shower with his eyes shut and his muscles tense. Honestly, he couldn't be mad with Hitomi. It wasn't her fault. Chase had sold his soul and a large portion of his humanity when he had first taken the Lao Mang Long soup. He was more beast than human now. He continued to drink the soup to maintain control of his draconic, beastly side. But that didn't stop the animal's physical traits from shining through. Whether he wanted to or not, Chase was currently releasing his own Heylin brand of pheromones as a part of his week-long mating cycle. It was a subtle smell that you had to be close enough to detect. It had never been a problem before. But he'd never lived with a girl before. It didn't matter after this point. Chase would be better prepared to keep Hitomi at a distance.
Turning off the flow of water, Chase exited his shower and wrapped a black towel around himself. He dried his skin a bit meticulously before patting his hair dry with the towel and slipping on a black robe. With his towel wrapped around his head, Chase exited the bathroom. He froze at the sight before him. With a wide-eyed and slightly comical expression, Chase watched Hitomi happily giggle as she rolled around on his bed. His left eye twitched.
Mid-giggle, Hitomi stared behind her when she heard the sound of a door opening. She blinked twice at Chase. "Hi, Chase. Your bed is so soft and it smells good too!" Hitomi said happily before continuing to roll over the sheets. Chase sighed deeply while pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "Wait! I remembered something! I came to apologize."
Chase used his Heylin powers to telekinetically open the doors to his bedroom. "Please leave," he told her and pointed to the door.
"Let me apologize first," Hitomi said as she got off his ruffled sheets and approached him. Hitomi stopped when Chase placed his hands on her shoulders and turned her around. He was pushing her towards the door, but she had to say this! "I'm sorry, Chase! What I did wasn't cool. I took your first kiss and I shouldn't have done that. I would promise not to do it again, but I really can't. But I am sorry! I swear!"
Chase nearly pulled out his hair. "Go back to your room, Hitomi. I don't care about the kiss," Chase lied. He wasn't able to tell her the truth though...
"Wasn't it your first one? That's pretty important. Unless it wasn't your first? Chase, have you kissed other girls?" Hitomi questioned as she started to fight against his force on her back. She was trying to get a good look at him, but he kept turning her around. "Dammit, Chase! Are you going around and kissing other girls!? You won't even hug me!"
Chase felt a blush slowly rise up his cheeks. How was she so strong!? Maybe it was just the stubbornness. Chase attempted to pick her up so he could carry her out of his room, but it caused Hitomi to giggle loudly.
"Chase, you're such a gentleman! Are you going to carry me back to my room? Don't expect me to kiss you again though. You can't just kiss me whenever you want. I mean, I like you and all, but I have morals," Hitomi said with no verbal filter as Chase carried her bridal style out of his room. Once outside his door, he dropped her unceremoniously on the floor. "Oof. What are you doing? This isn't my room."
"No. It isn't. Now, stay out of mine," Chase warned lowly and shut the doors on her.
Hitomi pouted before slowly rising up from the floors and dusting off her robes. "Some gentleman! You really know how to treat a girl, Chase! Not! I've had better treatment from a houseplant!" Hitomi shouted through his door. In response, she heard Chase lock his doors with a resounding click. "So rude! I'm definitely not kissing you again," Hitomi grumbled before making her way towards her own room in a huff.
Who did he think he was kicking her out like that!? She just wanted to talk to him. Maybe if Chase relaxed more, he wouldn't be such a grump. Maybe he should roll around on his sheets more. That was relaxing. With a light hum, Hitomi skipped back to her room, ignoring the pain in her back.
~:~
She probably needed to meditate more.
Hitomi held her head in her hands as she stared down at her lap. What was wrong with her? She'd tried her hardest not to come on too strong and keep her feelings hidden as best as she could. And what did it get her? She would go all goofy whenever she was within spitting distance of Chase! "There's something wrong with me, mother," Hitomi groaned. "In the past few days, I've come on to Chase at least six times and he's caught me wrapped up in his sheets twice. He doesn't know it, but I stole one of his dirty robes. I don't even know why I took it! All I do is sniff it like a weirdo."
Hitomi sat with her back rested against the wall of her favorite fountain. Her mother rested her furry head on her lap with a low, soothing growl. Hitomi pat her mother's head twice with a sigh. "I can't even get close to him to apologize without losing it. There has to be something wrong with me. Maybe it's these teenage hormones?" Hitomi suggested. At her mother's low growl and shake of her head, Hitomi frowned. "It's not me?" Hitomi asked. Another shake of the head. "Mother, you didn't see me last night. I nearly broke into Chase's room. I'm not sure what I would have done if I had gone through with it," Hitomi whispered with a rising blush. With a pathetic groan, Hitomi buried her face between her knees.
When she felt her mother smack her head softly with a large paw, Hitomi lifted up her head. Naomi's big brown eyes watched her before she shook her head. "Are you sure it's not me?" Hitomi asked. A final, resolute nod. "Then why didn't Chase say something?" Hitomi frowned and stood. "He's had me thinking that I'm going crazy! Is he using some kind of Heylin magic on me? He better not be!" Hitomi exclaimed and stomped away. At her mother's loud growls, Hitomi didn't turn back. She was a woman on a mission.
Chase could feel Hitomi approaching him. He nearly got up and fled to the other side of the palace. The last thing he needed was Hitomi to latch onto him and run her fingers through his hair again. It had felt nice, but he had a reputation and composure to keep. He was almost out of the room when he felt something flying towards his head. Moving to the side to dodge, Chase watched the slipper fly past his head. He narrowed his gaze before shooting a look over his shoulder.
"Don't you even think about running away from me, Chase!" Hitomi called out. She made sure to keep a few feet of space between them. She couldn't afford to go goofy now. She needed answers that only Chase could provide. "What are you doing to me? You better not be using any of your Heylin powers on me."
Chase turned to face Hitomi with an unreadable expression. "What makes you think that I am?"
"Don't think I haven't noticed how weird you've been smelling lately. I don't know what you're doing, but knock it off. I'm not your guinea pig for you to test your new powers on," Hitomi warned with a stern glare.
Chase watched Naomi slink into the room with a shake of her head. Chase raised a brow at her, but she gave the lion's equivalent to a roll of her eyes with exasperation and all. "I haven't been using Heylin magic on you. I never have," Chase answered honestly. "Do you really think that I would have any use for powers like those?"
Hitomi deflated slightly. When she thought about it, it really didn't make much sense. The power of seduction didn't seem like something Chase would want. He was such a cold fish.
"Excuse me?" Chase questioned with a low growl.
Hitomi covered her mouth with her hands as her eyes widened in shock. Had she just said that out loud!? "I mean... Um... So, if it's not one of your powers, then what is it?" Hitomi asked softly.
"It doesn't concern you."
"Is there something wrong with you? Did you drink some bad soup?" Hitomi asked. She walked in feeling so upset with him, but her anger was quickly dissipating. What if there was something wrong with Chase? Her mind flashed back to how drained and weak he was during the Heylin Eclipse. Hitomi reached out to him as she took a step forward. "Do you need help?"
Chase took two steps back. "I do not need your help. I am perfectly fine. If you'll excuse me, I have something that needs attending to," Chase said as he turned to leave. Before he could leave the room, Chase felt her hand on his shoulder. He tensed and waited for the oncoming glomp onto his person.
"Don't turn me away, Chase. Don't you think that you should trust me to help you by now?" Hitomi said. She held her breath as she waited for him to respond.
"You can't help me. There's nothing to help."
"Not just with this, Chase. But with everything. I want to be your friend. I care about you and I want to help you," Hitomi said honestly. She was probably going to regret this, but Hitomi slipped her arms around Chase's chest as she held him from behind. She rested her cheek on his back between his shoulder blades. Her lungs were on fire. She would need to breathe soon. She couldn't help but hope that Chase would respond quickly.
Chase didn't respond for a few seconds. Eventually, he sighed. If he didn't say the right thing now... Chase wasn't sure what would happen to them in the future. But he knew that he wouldn't be able to be "just friends" with Hitomi. He could ignore all romantic urges easily. He was disciplined enough for that. But Hitomi was just a sixteen-year-old girl. She wouldn't be able to disregard them so easily. He had said that he was moving on. It was time to prove it. "I... appreciate that...and you. I care for you as well."
Hitomi nearly squealed. He had said it! As her unbridled joy rushed through her, she hugged him tightly and accidentally took a breath. Oh, boy. "I'm glad to hear that. You just made me really happy, Chase." That was alright to say? It wasn't too much to make Chase uncomfortable, but it got her point across. Whew.
"Sometimes, it's like pulling teeth with you. I don't know if it's extremely repressed emotions or just awkward inexperience. I'm not picking on you for it. I've never liked a boy before you so I'm new to all this too," Hitomi giggled. She could hear the alarms blaring in the back of her mind, warning her to flee before she said or did something embarrassing.
"That's...good to know," Chase said awkwardly as he patted her arms. Pulling himself from her grasp, Chase quickly left the room. Naomi shook her head with a small smile before leaving the room. Those two were quite the pair.
Hitomi intently watched him go. Chase sure wore a lot of armor. 'I wonder how he looks under it all...' Hitomi thought. Her cheeks instantly flamed, but she couldn't bring herself to feel any embarrassment at her thoughts. "Hmm..." she mused with a smirk.
~:~
Chase was in the middle of a light sleep when he sensed the intrusion. His muscles tensed just seconds before he gripped the dagger he kept hidden under his pillow and awaited his attacker. He patiently feigned sleep as he listened to the sound of feet softly moving towards his bed. The person stopped at the edge of his bed. He could sense them reaching out towards him, but he gripped them by the wrist before they could touch him. His left arm subdued the person as he brandished his weapon with a threatening growl.
"Chase!" he heard Hitomi's voice cry out in surprise.
Immediately freezing in place, Chase allowed himself to relax before releasing Hitomi and placing the weapon down onto his nightstand. He sighed deeply. "What do you think you're doing here?"
"I... I had a nightmare," Hitomi responded in a soft voice.
Chase could feel her shaking slightly from where she sat next to him in the dark. He couldn't see her face, but he was sure that she was giving him a terrified expression. If she was terrified from him or the nightmare, he couldn't be sure. "So you came here?" Chase questioned dryly.
"Hannibal Bean and Wuya were in it."
Chase straightened up. "They wouldn't be so foolish as to attempt another attack so soon. You're fine. Go back to bed."
"I tried that already. It didn't work. This is the second time tonight that I'm waking up. They...they killed you and me, Chase."
Chase nearly sighed. "Is this the first time this has happened?"
"No... I wasn't sleeping too well, but I was fine when I had your robe. But now it doesn't smell like you anymore," Hitomi answered. Chase frowned deeply in the dark. What did she just say? She had his robe? He was about to comment when she spoke up again. "Can I stay here tonight? I promise I'll behave. I can't sleep in my bed anymore."
Chase was about to send her back to her room. He'd leave his entire army of jungle cats to watch over her if it made her feel better. But sleeping in his bed was out of the question. Then he felt her chilled and clammy hand grip his. "Chase, I wouldn't come here unless I had no other choice. I've tried sleeping with some jungle cats around. It doesn't help. Please?"
Absolutely not. Two words couldn't be harder for him to say. Chase sighed. She wanted to help him however she could. Whether she knew it or not, she had been helping him by remaining at his side. It was only a few hours until sunrise. Her health would suffer if she didn't get enough sleep. How had he not seen this happening to her? "Fine. But, only for tonight."
Chase could hear the relief in her voice as Hitomi replied, "Thanks, Chase."
Slipping back under the covers, Chase kept remarkably still as he listened to the sounds of Hitomi slipping under his sheets. It was a good thing he had changed the sheets. He wouldn't be able to stand her flirtatious behavior in this setting. He could take only so much provocation. Chase stared evenly up at his ceiling with his hands folded neatly over his chest. He would carry her back to her room once she had fallen asleep. Surely, she wouldn't be able to tell the difference while unconscious.
Chase was determined not to fall asleep until Hitomi did. He didn't have to wait long. He could hear her breathing even out after a few minutes. Chase never thought he would see the day when his presence was used to ward off nightmares instead of cause them. He nearly rolled his eyes. His reputation as the malevolent Prince of Darkness may be nonexistent in her eyes, but Chase wasn't too troubled by this. He didn't care for Hitomi to fear him anyways.
After waiting a few more minutes, Chase decided that it was time to move her. Maybe Hitomi was getting better at subconsciously using her tiger instincts, but Chase doubted it. As soon as he shifted, he felt Hitomi's hand grip the sleeve of his robe. He glared down at the offending hand and attempted to remove it. Doing so only made things worse, however. Chase wasn't sure how it happened, but in the middle of removing her hand from his sleeve, her other arm had wrapped around his chest. With flushing cheeks, Chase attempted to remove her other arm from his person. Chase nearly balked when he heard Hitomi's threatening growl as her legs wrapped around one of his. "Hitomi," he called out to her. He received another growl as she wrapped her arms resolutely around him. Chase could feel his irritation building. Once he had stopped fighting her, Hitomi relaxed with a sigh and continued to sleep peacefully. Was she doing this on purpose? Chase couldn't be too sure. His cycle had ended yesterday and he knew that her actions weren't being influenced by him. Maybe Hitomi was just a cuddler? Chase grimaced slightly before sighing. 'It's only for the night,' Chase reassured himself.
~:~
It wasn't just for the night. The next night, Chase had been pulling down his covers for bed when he had sensed someone enter his room. Looking up, Chase spotted Hitomi wearing a tee shirt and pajama pants and giving him a hopeful look. He had turned her away. His kindness lasted one night only. But then her brown eyes had watered slightly as she hung her head. His eyes had twitched as he felt the strings on his heart being violently yanked. He had cursed silently in another language before relenting. Instantly, Hitomi perked up before rushing over to his bed and climbing under the sheets. Chase took up his place on his side of the bed and warned, "Stay on your side tonight."
"Okay, Chase. Thanks for letting me sleep here. Last night was the best sleep I'd had in a long time," Hitomi replied with a bright smile. Chase sighed and turned out the lights.
It had taken about twenty-three minutes for Hitomi to find her way over to him in the dark. Chase growled as he felt her wrap her arm around his chest and her leg fell over his hips. He grit his teeth while Hitomi sighed and started to snore softly. Chase rolled his eyes before attempting to relax. It would make no sense to try to remove her. She had whimpered and nearly strangled him in her sleep last night when he had tried to remove her around four in the morning. As long as she didn't try anything to provocative, Chase didn't try to move her.
The two continued like this for several more nights. Sometimes, Hitomi would be standing at his door and waiting for his permission to join him. Sometimes, she would sneak in when she thought that he was sleeping. After the third night, Chase found it easier to sleep in her presence. It was an amazing show of trust that he allowed himself to be unconscious and unguarded in her presence. From then on, they slept in a similar position every night- Hitomi wrapped around him while Chase laid on his back and kept to himself.
One night, Chase could feel his arm being suffocated under her side and attempted to move it. Of course, this made Hitomi latch onto him tightly. Once his arm was free, Chase was able to sleep peacefully. When he had woken up in the morning, however, he was embarrassed to find the arm that he had left resting on the bed was now wrapped loosely around Hitomi's side. He had released her immediately as if she had burned him. Chase had never brought up the actions of his traitorous arm to her and Hitomi was none the wiser.
~:~
After rinsing his mouth out, Chase left his bathroom completely ready for bed. He saw Hitomi pulling down the covers before she climbed into bed. As he pulled down the covers on his side, Chase asked, "Do you still have nightmares?"
"Nope. Not a single one. But it's weird. I can't sleep in my own bed anymore. It just feels weird to sleep alone now," Hitomi answered with a shrug.
Chase knew what she meant. The rare times she had decided to sleep in her own bed had left him feeling a bit cold. He had gotten used to the added warmth that her embrace had provided. He had even gotten used to her clutching onto him during the night. "You've slept alone before," Chase responded.
"So did you. But you still let me stay," Hitomi pointed out smartly.
"Just go to bed," Chase grumbled with a roll of his eyes as he shut off the light and climbed into bed. Surprisingly, as soon as he laid down, Hitomi wrapped her arm around his stomach and laid her head on his chest. He tensed up immediately while staring down at her in surprise. He was about to tell her off, but then he felt just how tense she was. He knew what it felt like when she was holding him while relaxed and unconscious. He could feel how rigid she was next to him and if he paid close attention, he could feel her heart pounding in her chest. Taking a deep breath, Chase slung his right arm over his eyes and didn't comment.
As he tried to fall asleep, he felt Hitomi slowly relax. Chase marveled at how different he was in here as compared to how the rest of the world saw him- openly cuddling with Hitomi without any complaints. He had even removed the dagger from under his pillow. He hadn't wanted a repeat of the first night she had come to him. He had been on the edge of sleep when he had felt Hitomi's hand run along his side. He didn't think anything of the action at first, until she had done it again. Her hand moved deliberately inward towards his stomach. Her fingers ran along the lines between his abs slowly, tracing the lines down before moving back up all through his shirt. Each time her fingers made a complete circle around one set of muscles, they would move lower to the next set. His heart pounded so fiercely in his chest, Chase was sure that she could hear it. When her fingers made it to the edge of his pants, he froze. She didn't bother to continue her torture, however. Chase wasn't sure whether he felt relieved or disappointed at this. Her hand slid up his frame to rest next to her head on his chest.
Hitomi bit her lip as she tried to calm her heart's frantic pounding. She couldn't believe that Chase had let her do that! She thought that he would have stopped her for sure. She had expected him to kick her out. But the only reaction that she had gotten from him was the loud beating of his heart. Hitomi tried to stifle the grin that was threatening to break out on her face. The anxious and slightly eager part of her wanted to continue, but she didn't. It wouldn't be best to push Chase. He might actually kick her out. So, Hitomi sighed softly and shut her eyes for bed.
She was a bit braver the next night. Swallowing the lump in her throat, Hitomi rested her hand on Chase's stomach. She could feel the muscles under her hand tense slightly at her touch. Just like last night, her fingers danced over the muscles of his stomach. Once she had reached the edge of Chase's pants, Hitomi squeezed her eyes shut in anticipation for what she was going to do next. Her fingers moved back up his stomach, this time touching the skin of his stomach. Her fingers felt so cold, but Chase was so warm. After a few more minutes of running her fingers along his abs, Hitomi decided to stop for tonight. She kept her hand on his stomach though.
Chase wasn't sure how she expected him to sleep now. Was she going to do this every night? Why was she doing this now? Would he stop her if she tried it again? There was also the biggest question of all. Did she want him to return the favor? Chase took a deep breath and to calm his nerves and center his chi. He had no time for these thoughts. It was time for bed.
~:~
Hitomi took a deep breath before pushing open the doors to Chase's room. She didn't see him, but she could hear the sink running in the bathroom. Nervously, Hitomi tugged on the edge of her shorts and adjusted her tank top. She'd never bothered to reveal so much skin when she came to bed with Chase. Her pants had always covered her entire legs and her shirts always had sleeves. Just what was she thinking!? Hitomi swallowed again. This was a dangerous game she was playing. But she couldn't convince herself to stop. It was exciting how forbidden it felt. What was wrong with her!? She had no experience with boys and now she was trying to learn with Chase!? There was still time to leave. She could rush back to her room and change. Or maybe sleep there tonight...
The bathroom door opened. Time was up. It was time to face the music. Hitomi tried to pretend that nothing was out of the ordinary as she finished pulling down the covers and adjusting the pillows that she wouldn't use. She tried not to look at Chase, but she could feel his gaze on her. If he asked about the wardrobe change, she'd just lie and say that all her other clothes were dirty. She could do this. But, Chase didn't comment. Instead, he went about getting in bed just like he normally did. Hitomi wasn't sure if she felt relieved that he hadn't called her out on the change or disappointed that he hadn't commented. Maybe Chase didn't care for girls to show skin? Hitomi was sure that all guys liked a show. Well, Chase wasn't like other boys. Deciding not to worry about it, she slipped into bed and took up her place at his side.
Chase was not one to care for revealing outfits or shows of seduction. 1500 years of training himself towards his ultimate goal of strength, power, and world domination had left him practically immune to female wiles. But even he had to admit that he had stared at Hitomi a bit longer than he should have.
When he felt Hitomi sidle up to him, Chase outwardly appeared completely composed. But inwardly, he felt a nervous excitement to find out what Hitomi would try tonight. She never did too much- only a little bit a night. It was enough to get his attention without overwhelming him. This was all foreign territory to him after all.
Her hand was on his chest tonight. Once again through his shirt, she slowly felt the contours of his chest. It was actually a soothing touch that was lulling him to sleep. He had been feeling so relaxed when he suddenly felt her lift her head off his chest before placing a small kiss to the place over his heart. Chase was wide awake now. He had almost asked her why she had done that, but refrained. He felt her lay her head back down on his chest as her hand moved over his entire torso. Eventually, her hand stopped moving and her leg started to overtake his. He could feel her leg warming his as she slowly moved it up so that her thigh covered his groin. Chase stilled when she moved even closer to him. They were so close now. He could feel her breath on his neck. That teasing hand rested on his right shoulder and Chase was sure that she was done for the night. Chase nearly cursed when he felt her lips rest on his neck, however.
Okay. Chase had every intention to move her away now. That was more than enough. His hand moved around her to rest on her hip. He had only wanted to pull her away, but his sudden touch must have startled her. He felt her jump slightly before she gripped the fabric of his shirt tightly. Her body was tensed and completely still next to him. He hadn't meant to scare her. Chase pulled his hand away, suddenly feeling a bit guilty. He stopped when he felt Hitomi's hand quickly grasp his own. He furrowed his brows at the ceiling as he felt her return his hand to where it rested on her hip before she returned her hand to his shoulder.
They didn't move again for some time. Hitomi kept completely still, her eyes wide open as she waited for something to happen. Chase stared up at the ceiling while trying to maintain his composure. His mind was blank. After several minutes of just staring at the ceiling, Chase moved the pad of his thumb along the side of her hip. Hitomi bit her bottom lip to suppress the squeal that was threatening to bubble out of her throat. Her excitement dimmed when she felt Chase's large hand come in contact with her bare skin. Her tank top had ridden up. When had that happened? His hand never moved from that spot on her hip, but it did rub and squeeze lightly at the area. Hitomi sighed once into the crook of Chase's neck. Eventually, his ministrations guided her into a realm of unconsciousness.
~:~
It used to only last a few minutes. Their little game of light touches never went past twenty minutes of sweet torture. Eventually, it came to the point where they spent nearly an hour with a hand on the other. Clothes always ended rumpled and out of place, but never completely removed. Hitomi's hand steadily increased in the amount of times it bumped into the waistband of Chase's pants, but she never dared to venture down below that clearly marked line. She wasn't that brave. But she had considered it when Chase had suddenly upped his game.
She hadn't been expecting it at first. He normally kept his hand on her hip. Sometimes, his other hand would grasp hers and just hold it. This meant that she couldn't explore him any longer, but she did get to intertwine their fingers instead. One night, his hand had moved. It slid up her hip a bit before squeezing lightly. Hitomi's eyes had shot open immediately and she kept still as she waited for Chase to continue. His hand had continued up her torso before stopping just below her breast. She was sure that Chase could feel her heart pounding now. Hitomi waited in anticipation for what he would do next, but nearly groaned in disappointment when his hand moved back down. After all this time, she had been hoping for a bit more. It was definitely new and uncharted territory, but Hitomi couldn't help but feel ready for that next step. Wasn't Chase? Maybe he was waiting for a sign from her?
Chase finally closed his eyes as he readied himself for sleep. It didn't take long to calm his heart rate. He'd been getting more than enough practice calming himself down after their sessions. Right when he was feeling the effects of fatigue on his mind, he felt Hitomi shift. Instantly, he was awake and on edge. Had he overstepped his boundaries just now? Was she going to leave? He didn't open his eyes, but he waited for her to move. It took a few seconds, but he felt her lean in towards him before placing her lips onto his. Her hand cupped his cheek lightly while her lips started to move against his. He could feel her hair tickling his neck and face as she kissed him.
Maybe this was a bad idea? The last time she had kissed him, Chase hadn't been pleased. Okay. She would stop. No matter how much she liked kissing him, she wasn't about to force herself on him. But then she felt that hand of his move again. It was running along her back, further pushing up the fabric and exposing her back to the cold. Feeling emboldened, Hitomi shifted again. Her body was covering half of his as she straddled his left thigh. This was definitely a good idea.
She used to scoff at other girls her age when they talked about being with a boy like it was the most important thing in the world. She'd rolled her eyes at their stories. Despite traveling all over the world during her training, the girls always talked about the same petty things. She'd never had time to listen to them giggle about how it felt to kiss a boy or touch one or how it felt when a boy touched you. Mentally comparing their stories to her current feelings, Hitomi felt that she had gotten the better deal.
Pulling apart for air, Hitomi rested her head under Chase's chin as she tried to catch her breath. Chase's hand was still caressing her back softly, but it wasn't calming her pounding heart. She felt so warm and tingly all over. She wanted to ask Chase what he was thinking, but she didn't want to break the silence. She tried shifting again to get more comfortable, but froze when she felt the poke on her thigh.
Hitomi froze. She'd been so wrapped up in her fun, she hadn't considered what it could lead to. Chase didn't say anything, however. Maybe he didn't feel her brushing up against his- Hitomi squeezed her eyes shut. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Hitomi allowed her muscles to relax. It wasn't that big of a deal. This was Chase she was thinking about. He wasn't the type to force or hurt her. She trusted him. Besides, she wouldn't have let it continue for this long unless she was ready for this on some level. Right? Hitomi waited patiently for Chase to make his move.
She had been waiting for several minutes for a sign, but the only one she got was Chase's hand stilling on the middle of her back. Hitomi waited for some time, but he never moved again. After a few minutes, his breathing evened out and she knew that Chase had fallen asleep. Hitomi nearly face-palmed. He was going to fall asleep now!? Hitomi rolled her eyes. She could wake him up... But Hitomi had a feeling that that wouldn't be the best idea. If Chase was done, she wouldn't force him. She'd just have to wait until tomorrow night.
~:~
Hitomi made sure that she was already in bed before Chase got out of the bathroom. Her heart was pounding in her chest, but she did her best to remain calm. She held a book on the medicinal properties of plants in her hands, her eyes roaming over the page but not really reading the words anymore. After talking with her mother, she was feeling much better about her decision. While her mother hadn't been 100% pleased, she had been understanding. Hitomi was sure of the fact that Chase Young was the one for her. If she couldn't have him, there wouldn't be anyone else. She didn't need sex to prove it. But after these past few nights, it would be a lie to say that she wasn't expecting it at the very least. She would just have to convince Chase...
"Can I turn off the lights?"
Hitomi nearly jumped when she heard Chase's voice. He was standing next to the bed with his hand poised to turn off the lamp. Hitomi nodded before shutting the book and resting it on the nightstand. Once Chase slipped under the covers and the lights went out, Hitomi held her breath.
~TURN AWAY! ADULT CONTENT AHEAD! YOU'VE BEEN WARNED!~
Chase let Hitomi cuddle up to him before resting his hand on her hip. He was feeling a bit more tired than usual tonight and he was looking forward to finally going to sleep. He was kept awake, however by Hitomi's hand caressing his ab muscles. He was about to stop her hand and put an early end to her actions, but he froze when he felt her fingers slip under the waistband of his pants. It was only a little slip. If you didn't know any better, you could say that it had been an accident. But then she'd done it again.
The need to sleep was leaving him now. Chase kept still as he felt Hitomi place light kisses on his chest before moving up to his collarbone and to his neck. He moved his head to the side to give her room while his hand once again repeated its usual path along her side. She was kissing his along his jaw now with her hand blazing a trail under his shirt along his torso. When she removed her hand from his body to lightly cup his cheek, he allowed her to turn his face toward her. She kissed him fully on the lips this time, her hand moving up to his head to get lost in his soft hair. For the first time, Chase shifted his position so that he was laying on his side and fully facing Hitomi. The hand on his cheek slid down his front to grip his shirt. His right hand took up the task of caressing her side while his left held her to him. He could feel her heart beating overtime as his hand got close to her breast. Before he could even think about placing his hand on her breast, he felt Hitomi's hand guide his upwards.
Once she was sure that Chase wouldn't pull away, Hitomi grabbed his shoulder before falling backwards and pulling Chase with her. Chase pulled away from her and remained hovering over her. Although she couldn't see his face, she was sure that Chase was giving her a questioning expression. Whether he could see her or not, Hitomi smiled before running her foot along the back of his leg. This time, it was Chase who initiated their kiss.
This was such an exciting feeling. She'd never bothered to explore her body before, but Hitomi was having a hard time explaining why not. She could feel the anticipation building in her chest as well as below her waist. For the first time, she was able to feel him with both hands. The muscles on Chase's back were just as toned as those on his front- firm and amazingly warm. Hitomi wondered if he would let her...
Chase had been in the middle of feeling Hitomi's nipple harden between his fingers when she suddenly pulled away. He took the chance to catch his breath. He figured that she was done for the night, but he was surprised when she pulled his shirt over his head before tossing it away. Now hovering bare-chested over her, Chase couldn't help but feel like they were getting dangerously close to the point of no return. He didn't have much time to contemplate this further, however. Hitomi was already pulling him back in for another kiss as her hands now ran over his chest, neck, back, shoulders, and arms. Feeling emboldened, Chase began trailing kisses down her jaw and neck while slipping an arm behind her back.
Hitomi arched her back slightly while moving her head back to give Chase more room to place light kisses on her neck. When his kisses became a bit rougher, Hitomi couldn't hold back to soft moan of approval. She couldn't focus on touching him with the pleasant feeling of him sucking at the skin of her neck and his hand kneading her breast. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his neck loosely. Growing tired of playing with her left breast, she felt his hand shift over to the right and push the fabric of her tank top away. "Take it off," Hitomi commanded in a whisper.
Chase had been surprised to hear her speak. This was the first time they had used words to communicate. Not hesitating for once, Chase used one arm to lift her off the bed slightly while his free hand gripped the tank from where it bunched above Hitomi's breasts before pulling it off her completely. Her chest was now bare and pressed firmly against his. Laying back down, Chase's right hand made its way down to her hip. His fingers toyed with the band of her shorts, dipping under to tease the skin there several times. He returned his lips to her neck just as he gripped the waistband of her shorts in his fist.
Hitomi was finally able to focus long enough to get her hands to work again. Slowly, she brought her hands down to the waistband of Chase's pants before slipping her hands inside. It felt like Chase was wearing boxers. Tugging his pants down a bit more, Hitomi let her hands feel Chase's rear. When she gave his behind a slight pinch, Hitomi nearly giggled when she felt Chase jump slightly. She felt Chase nip at her neck in response before his hand pulled at her shorts and tugged down her underwear as well. Her bottoms were half on at this point. Hitomi took a deep breath before lifting her hips off the bed.
Chase removed the shorts and underwear before initiating another kiss. Those hands were pulling down his pants before he felt fingers hooking in the band of his boxers. It wasn't long before he could feel the cool air in the room on his exposed backside. He could feel those teasing fingertips on his hips, threatening to move in close to his shaft. Before they touched him, however, Hitomi moved her arms around his neck again and pulled away from the kiss. "I'm ready," she whispered to him. Heart pounding, Chase gripped the back of her thigh before situating himself at her entrance. Capturing her lips in another heated kiss, he eased himself inside her.