===== Chapter 2 =====
Reigniting the Spark
After their initial meeting, Koko began to think more and more about Yuri, wondering if she'd ever see her again. She didn't have much to work with if she ever wanted to find her. She only knew her name, knew she was an assassin, and had a mental image of her physical appearance. It wasn't much to go on but Koko remained hopeful that they'd meet once more. In all honesty, Koko didn't care that Yuri was an assassin; she'd traveled with companions who were much worse and done much more horrible things, or at least, in another timeline anyway. During their last encounter, she was more aggravated with Yuri's lying than when she revealed her occupation as a mere assassin.
Koko held on to the book Yuri had given her and even gave it a read to see why she wanted to get it signed by the author. After she completed reading the book, she grew infatuated with the characters and overall plot that she went back and read the entire series from the beginning. Once she was done, she gained a sudden urge to get one of her books signed by the author, also figuring it would be a good way to hunt Yuri down in case they happened to attend the same event. Whenever she was in a town that had one, Koko went to the local bookstore and kept an ear out for future events that featured her favorite author. She even decided to try other books of the same genre that were written by different authors. She found some that were good while others not so much. As time went on and after several book signings, Koko had come up dry when it came to seeing anyone that even resembled Yuri. Eventually, she decided to give up the search entirely. She just wanted to attend a book signing for herself and not worry about keeping an eye out for her elusive assassin.
#
As Koko was standing in line, waiting for her turn to finally arrive, something, or rather, someone caught her eye. Koko looked to the individual who was further along in the line than she was. She couldn't make out much since she could only see the person's back. What caught her attention was the woman's pitch-black hair with a purple tint. Suddenly, a jolt of pain struck her head as the vision flashed in in her mind. That had to be her, Koko thought.
Koko kept an eye on her to make sure she didn't get away. She didn't want to lose her place in line so she planned to get the woman's attention after she got her book signed and turned around. In the meantime, she tried to figure out just what exactly she was going to say to her. Could the vision really be one of the future? Were they really meant to be lovers and even somehow have children? She barely even knew Yuri and their last encounter wasn't exactly the most romantic of ones.
Before she knew it, Koko had moved up further in the queue and the mysterious girl was just about next in line. She quickly tried to think of something to say and finally decided to just make it up as she went. When the girl she was watching finally got her book signed and turned around, Koko felt a certain warm feeling in her chest. It was her, the girl from her dreams.
Yuri hadn't recognized Koko yet and was making her way out of the bookshop. As Koko was about to speak and get her attention, Yuri looked over to her. Immediately, she spotted Koko's vibrant head of red hair and her tan complexion. Even though it had been a little over a year, Yuri couldn't forget a face like Koko's. Yuri let a longing smile appear on her face before her expression returned to its normal stoic look, remembering how their last meeting went. Nevertheless, she began walking over to Koko to at least say hello.
Koko nearly forgot she was standing in a line and almost left to meet Yuri halfway, but she then stopped and just waited for her to come over instead. She squirmed in her spot, not having felt that particular way before. What was it about Yuri that was causing it, she wondered? Was it Yuri's cute face and attractive body? Was it her unassuming yet very capable appearance and demeanor? Was it her elegant and deadly skills with a blade? She couldn't tell. Perhaps it was all of the above. While she was lost in her thought, Yuri had already walked all the way over to her.
"Oh, hello, Koko. Fancy meeting you here," said Yuri briefly before continuing on towards the exit.
Seeing Yuri about to leave, Koko reached out and grabbed her by the hand, causing her to turn back around with a surprised look on her face. It was almost like her body acted on its own and when Koko realized what she had done, she withdrew her hand. "Leaving so soon? I thought, uh… maybe we could talk a little?" asked Koko with noticeably redder cheeks.
Yuri was initially nervous, thinking that Koko was still annoyed with her, but after seeing the way she was acting, she loosened up a bit. "Sure, but… don't you want to get your book signed first?" asked Yuri, motioning to Koko that she was next in line.
Koko looked to the author sitting behind a table then to the line of impatient people behind her. She quickly stepped up and got her book signed, thanking the author before embarrassingly hurrying off with Yuri. They found an empty bench outside the store and sat down to continue talking. "Sorry about that. I hope I'm not keeping you from anything," said Koko as she placed the book in her bag.
Yuri shook her head, feeling more at ease. "Not at all. The book signing was all I had going today, so I'm free for the remainder of it," she said. She then got more comfortable on the bench and looked to her hands in her lap. "So… what did you want to talk about? I hope you're not still mad at me from before…"
Hearing Yuri's soft voice was like music to Koko's ears. It was such a cute sound that hummed pleasantly in her head. Realizing that she was daydreaming, she quickly shook it off and replied to Yuri. What was happening to her, she wondered? "No! No. I'm not mad anymore. I'm actually… glad to see you," she said.
"You… are?" asked Yuri as she looked over to Koko.
Koko nodded with a smile. "Mmhmm. Yup. I've been looking all over the place for you, going so far as to even attend several book signings," she said.
"Oh. So that's why you're here. I did find it odd that I'd find you in a place like this," said Yuri.
"Well, actually, this time I was here for the book signing," said Koko. "All the other times, I went with the primary goal of finding you; getting the book signed was just extra. But time and time again, I failed to spot you. So eventually, I just gave up. This time, I went because I actually liked the book and wanted to get it signed for myself."
"I didn't think you were into this kinda thing," said Yuri.
"Initially, I wasn't. But then I read the book you left me out of curiosity, so I have you to thank for getting me into this new hobby of mine," said Koko.
Yuri smiled. "I'm glad," she said.
Koko then reached into her bag and pulled out the book she was talking about. It looked much more worn and used than when Yuri last saw it. Koko took the book and handed it to Yuri. "I guess I should be returning it now. Sorry you never got a chance to get it signed," she said.
Seeing the book nearly made Yuri gush. She took the book, giving it a longing look, then handed it back. "It was a gift. I bought another one and got it signed when I got to Patsio," she said. "I just can't believe I was on your mind all this time, just to return a simple book. You really are kind."
Returning the book really wasn't the reason why Koko was looking for Yuri, but she played along with it until she could bring herself to tell her the real reason she sought her out. But did she even know why herself? "Oh. Thanks then. It was the first book in my collection, so it's something special," she said, taking the book back and putting it away in her bag.
Yuri was silent for a moment then glanced away. "To be honest, I was- kinda… thinkin' about you too since we last saw each other," she said as she began to fidget in her place next to Koko.
"You were?" asked Koko, trying to hide her joy. "Why's that?"
"Well… I just felt so bad about how I treated you and all. I never got a chance to apologize properly," said Yuri while keeping her gaze away from Koko. She was lying as well and was actually thinking about her in a more romantic and fantastical way, but she couldn't bring herself to tell Koko the truth either just yet.
"Is that so? Well, I was kind of a jerk, so no apology is necessary," said Koko, a bit happy to hear that Yuri was thinking of her as well.
Yuri smiled, almost choking on her words. "If you say so," she said.
The two then sat quietly for a few moments, each of them lost in their thoughts. Koko was thinking about how to tell Yuri about the visions she had while Yuri was trying to come to terms with the feelings she had within for her. Eventually, Yuri mustered up the courage and broke the silence.
"Are you, umm… in a- relationship?" asked Yuri.
Koko almost wasn't sure if she heard her correctly as she snapped out of her thoughts. "Relationship?" she asked, looking to Yuri.
Yuri gave a slight nod, keeping her eyes down as she was too embarrassed to make eye contact with her.
Koko blushed, not having had that question asked too many times before. "I-," she said but just as she was about to answer, her stomach made a noticeably loud growl which made her cheeks redden even more. She placed her hands on her stomach and noticed how hungry she was. She then looked to Yuri who was trying to hide her smile behind a then raised hood. "Do you want to grab some lunch while we continue our conversation?"
Yuri stood up and glanced at Koko with a smile still on her face. "I'd love to," she said.
Koko let out a sigh then got up, looking around for a place to eat. Once she had a target in sight, she started walking followed closely by Yuri. Yuri walked happily alongside Koko, glancing over at her from time to time. Yuri's knight-in-shining-armor, though, Koko wasn't wearing her uniform or armor so she was just her knight-in-plain-clothes. Not quite as romantic sounding but Yuri was content to be with her nonetheless.
The two of them found a café and got some food, finding a table in the outside seating area to sit down and eat at. The weather was clear and temperate, so they didn't mind eating outside. They dug into their meals for a few moments to get some food in their bellies before continuing where they left off. Yuri sat patiently, slowly taking a bite of her food every now and then until Koko was good and ready to speak. After procrastinating for too long, Koko finally continued with her answer.
"So, before I was so rudely interrupted by my gut, I was going to say that I'm not currently in a relationship," said Koko.
Hearing the good news, Yuri tried her best to keep her excitement under control. She didn't want to scare away her prey by being too direct. It almost never worked, or least, in her romance novels anyway. "That's good to hear," she said, almost under her breath.
"Oh? Why's that?" asked Koko who heard what she said.
Yuri immediately got visibly flustered, not expecting Koko to have heard her. "I- No reason. I was just- Umm!" she said, looking away from Koko while fidgeting with her hands.
Seeing Yuri react that way made Koko wonder. As she thought more about it, things began to make more sense to her, especially after she considered the subject matter Yuri liked to read. Koko leaned back in her seat, looking to Yuri as if she were analyzing her every move. Yuri was still looking away, occasionally glancing back to Koko only to look away once their gazes met. Taking it as a sign, Koko decided to come clean and tell Yuri why she was really looking for her.
Koko mentally prepared herself and began to tell her story. "Hey. So there's something I want to tell you, and I know how crazy it'll sound so just hear me out. Okay?" she said.
Surprised by the sudden change in tone, Yuri turned fully towards Koko and gave her all of her attention. "Uh… okay. I'm listening," she said.
Koko then took in a deep breath and told Yuri everything, beginning with when she obtained the alternate timeline Koko's memories. She explained what happened with the other Koko and how it must've triggered the memory transfer. She then went on to talk about how she found Minerva during her search for the other Sabot Draconis members, and how it must've meant that her memories were real in some capacity. She finished up by telling her about the last thing that went through the other Koko's mind: a vision with her and what she supposed was Yuri acting like a happy couple. She decided to leave out the part about them potentially having kids so she didn't overload Yuri with too much to think about. When all was said and done, Koko just let Yuri soak in everything she had just told her.
"Wow. That is a lot to take in," said Yuri as she sat across from Koko, completely forgetting how nervous she was a while ago. "I've never read anything like that before in any of my books, so I'm not sure if that's the lamest pickup line ever or the most creative one."
Koko playfully scoffed at her. "Pfft. I never said I wanted to get with you. I'm just telling you what's in my head and what it could possibly mean," she said, crossing her arms over her chest.
Yuri rolled her eyes and glanced away, almost dejected. "What's the matter? Not into women or something?" she asked with an almost mocking tone.
Koko was about to respond but never had given it any thought before. She really didn't have a preference and just thought that handsome men were handsome and beautiful women were beautiful. She was a virgin also and hadn't had experience with either, but she was going to keep that fact to herself.
"It's not that; I like both equally, I guess," said Koko.
Yuri continued to pout, keeping her head turned away, though she was happy to hear Koko was into women at least. "So what is it? I'm not attractive or something?" she asked, crossing her arms across her chest as well.
Koko sighed and rested her arms by her side. "It's just that why should something like visions or premonitions determine whom I should like? I mean, I barely even know you and don't want to, like, make you feel like you're being forced into this if you don't want to," she said.
"…who says I don't want to?" asked Yuri without budging, looking at Koko out of the corner of her eye. She wasn't quite ready to let her quarry go just yet.
Koko gave Yuri a firm stare, interlocking her fingers and placing her hands on the table. "Is there something you want to tell me, Yuri?" she asked. By that point, Koko had made up her mind and was just messing with Yuri since she was sure Yuri was doing the same with her.
Having been put in Koko's crosshairs, Yuri began to get nervous again and dropped the pouty-girl act. She lowered her arms and began to nervously play with her fingers. "…you're really going to make me say it?" she asked, keeping her focus on her hands.
"Say what? I have absolutely no idea what you're about to tell me," said Koko as she kept her gaze locked on Yuri. She wanted Yuri to confess first to buy herself time and make her own confession easier.
Yuri grumbled to herself as she tried to muster enough courage to speak. After several moments of grumbles and groans, she finally spoke up. "I… I kinda sorta…," she said before taking in a deep breath and exhaling slowly. She then looked Koko dead in the eye and said it. "I like you and- think I have a crush on you…"
Koko immediately blushed as it became increasingly harder to maintain eye contact with Yuri's expressive eyes. Even though she was pretty sure that was what Yuri was going to say, it was still a pleasant surprise to hear it from her. "Oh. Well, um. If we're doing all this confessing, I might as well confess something too," she said, looking away while fighting her own growing levels of anxiety.
Upon hearing Koko about to confess something as well, Yuri leaned forward and listened intently. She tried her best not to let herself smile and get her hopes up but she couldn't help it. A knowing grin began to pull at the corners of her mouth as she watched Koko become just as rattled as she previously was. "Hmmm?" she said as she poked and prodded Koko for fun.
Even after hearing Yuri's true feelings for her, it was still hard for Koko to say the same words back. She had never been in a relationship before and it showed. "You are- Er. I think you're," she said before looking up to Yuri with a groan. "I- I like you… too."
As the words registered in her head, Yuri finally let herself smile with satisfaction. That was exactly what she wanted to hear. "Not so fun when the tables are turned. Am I right?" said Yuri with a wink.
Koko grumbled as she tried to let all the stress fade away. "Yeah, well… you've probably done this plenty of times before, huh? This- This was my first time confessing to someone," she said.
"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Yuri as she gave Koko a slighted look.
Seeing Yuri's expression, Koko quickly went about clarifying herself. "I mean, you're so beautiful and talented. Surely there'd been others before me…," she said.
Realizing that Koko meant no offense, Yuri relaxed again and smiled warmly. "Nope. You're my first as well," she said.
Koko was surprised by the fact and smiled as well. "So… what now? Are we a couple? Like, girlfriend and girlfriend?" she asked.
Yuri chuckled, feeling as content as could be. "I mean, unless you don't want to…," she said, playfully looking away.
"No. I want to. I totally want to," said Koko.
Not entirely convinced, Yuri reached out and took Koko's hands in hers, looking her deeply in the eye. "Reach deep down inside and think about what you really want, what you really desire. If it's to be in a loving relationship with me, then say it and it will be so," she said, unknowingly drawing from a scene from one of her romance novels.
Koko was caught off guard by the sudden touch of Yuri's hands and her intense stare. She then did as she was told and thought long and hard about what she wanted. After a few brief moments, Koko gave her answer. "I want… to be with you," she said.
Yuri smiled and leaned across the table, giving Koko a kiss on the cheek. "And so you are," she said, whispering into Koko's ear before withdrawing back to her seat.
Koko's heart fluttered as she reached up to feel where Yuri's lips had touched her cheek. She had never been kissed before and it felt nice, even if it was just on the cheek and not on the lips yet. She gave Yuri a warm smile and savored the moment. As she sat there thinking about their future together, Koko began to wonder.
Seeing a contemplative look on her new girlfriend's face, Yuri asked what was wrong. "Hey, you okay? Not having any second thoughts about all this, are you?" she asked.
Koko refocused on Yuri and shook her head. "What? No. Of course not," she said.
"Then what's the matter? You look like you've got something on your mind," said Yuri.
"To be honest, there's a lot on my mind. Like, what happens next? I mean, for us," said Koko as her tone become more somber. "We both live very different lives and at great distances from one another. Is one of us just supposed to quit the life they had always known to join the other? Will we both have to start anew? What-"
Before Koko could utter another word, Yuri reached out and placed a finger on Koko's lips. "You worry too much, you know that?" she said.
Koko remained silent as Yuri's delicate finger kept her mouth shut. Once it was removed, she calmed down. "I'm sorry. But how can I not? I want this to work out so I have to make sure I account for everything. I don't want to mess this up," she said.
Yuri gave her a reassuring smile. "You're not going to mess this up. You'll be just fine. I'm part of this relationship as well, so you're not alone," she said. "As for everything you're so worried about, we'll make it work- together."
Yuri's confidence and determination were comforting and put Koko as ease. Koko then placed a hand on Yuri's as a sign of gratitude. "Thanks. I'm glad you're able to look at this so calmly despite it being your first relationship as well," she said.
"Yeah, well. I try not to worry about things I don't have to yet," said Yuri as she leaned back in her seat.
"So what's the plan then?" asked Koko with a renewed sense of optimism.
"Hmm?" asked Yuri as she sat back up straight.
"The plan? For making all this work out?" asked Koko as she tried to remain optimistic.
"I dunno," said Yuri with a nonchalant shrug of the shoulders.
Koko's eye twitched. "But- But I thought- You said…," she said as she began to get stressed out again.
Yuri frowned slightly as she saw that her answer wasn't sufficient enough for Koko and was causing her more stress. She then quickly thought of something to put her back at ease and came up with an idea. "Here, let's start with this then," she said as she reached into her bag. "Let me see the book you just got signed."
Koko regained her composure and did as she was asked, retrieving the book from her bag. "What for?" she asked.
Yuri pulled out her own copy and exchanged it with Koko's. She then took out a pen and opened the book to the inside cover. "I'm going to write down the address of where I live in here. That way, we can at least keep in touch via letters and things like that. You can do the same with mine," she said, gesturing to the book in Koko's hands.
Koko looked to Yuri's copy of the book and took out a pen from her pack, writing her own address on the inside cover. "At least it's a start," she said.
Yuri nodded, closing the book and handing it back to Koko. "Yeah. We'll figure this out little by little, okay?" she said.
"Sounds like a plan," said Koko before exchanging books with Yuri.
After getting their books back, the two of them finished eating then left the café. Since Koko had to travel back home the next day, she and Yuri decided to spend the rest of the day in each other's company. Even though they had spent a few days together in the past, they still barely knew anything about one another. Whenever they did share a bit about themselves, Yuri mostly talked from the perspective of her nun persona and Koko mostly recalled things from the other Koko's memories. So, when they decided to spend the rest of the day together, they started over and began sharing more genuine things about themselves.
The two mostly spent their time walking around the town, chatting and occasionally finding a place to sit while they did. The minutes quickly turned to hours and before they knew it, it was already late in the evening. After grabbing a quick bite to eat for dinner, they chatted a bit more before it was time for bed. Koko and Yuri were standing off to the side of the road in front of the place where Koko was staying. Koko didn't want to leave just yet, but she had to get some sleep before her travels tomorrow.
"I guess this is where we part ways, huh?" said Koko. She looked to Yuri who was visibly disappointed.
"Yeah. I guess so…," said Yuri as she sulked in front of Koko.
"Hey, at least we had fun today, right?" said Koko as she tried to cheer Yuri up.
Yuri nodded solemnly. "Yeah. I did…," she said while still sulking.
"Aw, don't be like that. We'll see each other again soon enough," said Koko. "And don't forget. We can write each other now to stay in contact. That's something at least, isn't it?"
"…it's not the same," said Yuri.
"I know. But we'll just have to make do," said Koko, not liking the long-distance aspect of their relationship either. She then stood with Yuri for a few moments in silence, not wanting to leave her just yet.
Yuri fidgeted a bit where she stood then looked to Koko. "Are you… going to give me a goodnight kiss before you leave?" she asked.
Koko froze at the very mention of a kiss. They spent all day without any displays of affection whatsoever except for Yuri's kiss from the beginning. They hadn't even held hands since then. But now Yuri wanted her to give her a goodnight kiss? Koko was totally unprepared for such an intimate gesture. She looked to Yuri and noticed her demure stance and expression, her attention drawn to Yuri's luscious lips. Not wanting to keep her lover waiting, Koko psyched herself up and leaned in for a kiss. Unable to bring herself to aim for the lips just yet, Koko gave Yuri a tender kiss on the cheek.
Yuri had her eyes closed as Koko moved in and was expecting a kiss on the lips. As she felt it instead on her cheek, however, she smiled all the same and opened her eyes to see Koko withdrawing. "Not what I was expecting, but I'll take it," she said.
Koko blushed as she rubbed her arm. "Yeah. I'm not yet comfortable with-" she said before a finger ceased her words.
"Thank you. It was a lovely kiss," said Yuri with a smile as she withdrew her finger from Koko's lips.
Koko smiled back before clearing her throat. "Well, I guess I should be going now," she said.
"When are you leaving tomorrow?" asked Yuri.
"As soon as I wake up, so bright and early in the morning," said Koko.
"Okay," said Yuri as she sighed, still struggling with their impending separation. "Well, I suppose you should be off then. I don't want to keep you from getting a good night's sleep."
"Yeah. It's getting pretty late," said Koko as she took a couple steps towards the inn's front entrance. "Have a goodnight and… I'll see you soon," she said with a final wave.
Yuri gave a nod and waved back. "You too. I'll be waiting," she said.
After that, Koko forced herself not to turn back around and went inside, heading back up to her room. Once she was there, she made sure everything was in order for her journey the next day then went to bed, thoughts of Yuri still fresh in her mind.
#
It was the middle of the night and Koko stirred in bed. She slowly opened her eyes and looked around, wondering what might've woken her up. At first, she was laying on her back then decided to turn on her side towards the middle of the room. When she did, she was met with a mysterious figure lying right there beside her.
Koko jolted fully awake and sat up in bed, backing up against the wall as she lit the candle on her bedside table using magic. As the light from the lit candle illuminated the room, Koko could see the figure more clearly. She then noticed a suspiciously familiar-looking girl with long, black hair and a fair complexion.
Koko grimaced and relaxed a bit. "…Yuri?" she asked.
All the commotion and movement caused Yuri to stir awake as well. She yawned then opened her eyes to see Koko backed into a corner with a confused look on her face. "Is it morning already?" she asked before yawning once more.
Koko was not amused by Yuri's sudden appearance, but she couldn't stay mad at such a cute face for too long. "What are you doing here?" she asked.
Yuri smiled and wiggled further under the covers. "Sleeping. Or at least, trying to…," she said before closing her eyes.
Koko wasn't exactly in the mood for jokes and took the covers by hand, pulling them fully off of Yuri. Yuri winced and curled up into a ball as the cool night air suddenly wafted over her entire body. It seemed she had made herself at home and was only wearing a shirt and pants. She opened an eye to see Koko glaring down at her.
"…what?" asked Yuri as she played dumb with an aloof expression.
"You know what I mean. How did you get in here? Into my bed even? You even managed to undress and get under the covers without me even noticing," said Koko.
"Well… infiltrating undetected is kinda my thing, so…," said Yuri as she sat up in bed as well. As she looked to Koko, Koko crossed her arms over her chest and gave her an annoyed look. Yuri then sighed and gave her a straight answer. "I missed you," she said, giving Koko a sad-puppy expression. "And I didn't want to miss saying goodbye before you left."
Seeing Yuri like that completely lowered Koko's defenses. She dropped her arms and exhaled tiredly. "I thought we already said our goodbyes before we parted ways earlier," she said.
"Yeah, but then I started to miss you, so I decided to give you a little surprise," said Yuri. "I thought you'd be happy to see me once more before you go."
"It was quite the surprise, I'll give you that," said Koko with a slight chuckle.
"Are you… happy to see me?" asked Yuri as she began fiddling nervously with her fingers.
Koko could hardly withstand Yuri's cuteness and gave her another kiss on the cheek. "Of course I am," she said with a loving smile.
Yuri returned the smile with one of her own then hugged her legs against her chest, resting her chin on her knees. "You're not going to kick me out, are you?" she asked.
Koko shook her head. "I'm not going to kick you out," she said with a sigh.
"Does that mean I can sleep with you?" asked Yuri.
"If by that you mean sharing a bed to get some sleep, then sure. You can sleep with me," said Koko.
Yuri sighed with relief. "Good. There was no way I was going to sleep on the floor or anything like that," she said as she got more comfortable on her side of the bed. "And don't worry. I didn't mean the other thing when I asked if I could sleep with you. We haven't even kissed proper yet."
Koko blushed at the very mention of them engaging in such intimate acts together. She gulped, letting her eyes wander up and down Yuri's body as she laid innocently there beside her. Before she was noticed checking her out, Koko glanced away and cleared her throat. "Well, now that we decided that you're staying, I'm going back to sleep if that's all right with you," she said as she pulled the covers back up. She laid back down on the bed and pulled the bedsheets over both her and Yuri, turning to her before she extinguished the candle.
Yuri had her head turned to her with a content smile on her face. "Sweet dreams," she said.
"You too," said Koko as she snapped her fingers, snuffing the candle's flame out with a spell.
The two of them were laying on their backs together, staring at the ceiling through the darkness and unable to get to sleep. Koko wasn't able to rest easy and remained tense, not having shared a bed with anyone like that before. She slightly moved under the covers and accidentally brushed against Yuri's hand, causing Koko to jerk her hand away instinctively. The motion caused Yuri to giggle slightly as she rolled on her side towards Koko.
"You don't have to be afraid. I don't bite," said Yuri softly.
Koko's body tingled as the breath from Yuri's words tickled the inside of her ear. She then turned on her side as well, facing Yuri. Even though it was dark, the natural light from the window made it possible to see Yuri's face somewhat clearly. "I'm not afraid; I'm just…," said Koko as she was at a loss for words. "I don't know how to explain it. I'm just… overwhelmed?"
"Overwhelmed with happiness, I hope," said Yuri.
"That and- anxiousness, I guess. I just don't know what to do with myself," said Koko with an uneasy smile. "I've never been in bed like this with a cute girl before."
Yuri smiled, blushing at the compliment but the darkness made it hard to see her red cheeks. "You know, I've never been in bed with a cute girl either, but you don't see me being all stiff as a board," she said. "Just go with the new experience and take it in stride. Trust me. It'll feel a lot better and you'll enjoy it more." She then scooted closer to Koko, their faces then merely inches apart.
Koko's heart was pounding as Yuri's lovely face lay right in front of hers. Their eyes met and Koko swallowed nervously, wondering what was going to happen next. Yuri then closed her eyes and pursed her lips slightly as if to invite Koko in for a kiss. Koko froze, unsure if she was interpreting things correctly. Her heart nearly beat right out of her chest as she gathered up the courage to finally give Yuri a kiss on the lips. She then finally found the willpower inside and leaned forward, closing her eyes as well. Just as their lips were about to touch, Yuri smiled deviously and rolled over with her back facing Koko.
"Goodnight," said Yuri, a mischievous smile still on her face.
As Koko failed to give Yuri a kiss, she pouted and just stared at the back of Yuri's head for a few moments, completely disappointed that she took so long to make a move. She then exhaled with dissatisfaction and rolled onto her back.
"…goodnight," said Koko as she redirected her attention to getting to sleep.
#
The sunshine slipped through the cracks in the window and landed right on Koko's face. Koko stirred awake and winced as the rays of light were directly in her eyes. She squinted and moved so the sunlight wasn't so blinding, then noticing that Yuri was still asleep beside her. Yuri was on her side facing her again with a tranquil expression on her face. Seeing her there, Koko settled back into bed and just laid there, savoring the moment as she watched her lover continue to slumber so peacefully in the morning light. There were a few strands of hair covering Yuri's face, so Koko reached out and carefully moved them off to the side. Even though she said she was going to leave as soon as she woke up, she decided to wait around and enjoy Yuri's company a while longer. It wasn't like she had a strict time limit to get back to the Order or anything like that.
As Koko rested beside Yuri while she slept, she couldn't help but see Yuri's exposed tender lips glistening in the light. She frowned as she remembered the night before where she missed her opportunity to kiss her but maybe this was her second chance, she thought. She closed her eyes and moved back in for a kiss but suddenly, a voice rang in her ears.
"I hope you're not trying to steal my first kiss while I'm asleep, are you?"
Koko quickly opened her eyes to see Yuri wide awake and glaring disappointingly at her. Koko started to panic while choking on her words, sitting up in bed as she tried to apologize. Yuri then smiled teasingly after a happy sigh.
"If you wanted to make-out, all you had to do was ask," said Yuri with a sultry expression, looking up to Koko. She playfully licked her lips and bit her lip in a seductive manner.
Koko was having a hard time suppressing her more immoral urges as Yuri continued to tease her like that. Not wanting to let Yuri have all the fun, she decided to tease her back and not take the bait. It was a hard-fought internal struggle, but she managed to glance away as her body shuddered.
"M-M-Maybe I'm not in the mood anymore," said Koko as she kept her attention off of Yuri.
Yuri immediately saw through Koko's games and smirked. She then reached out and wrapped her arms around Koko's torso, bringing her close over her. "How 'bout now?" she asked, moving her hands around Koko's neck and interlocking her fingers.
Koko was positioned directly over Yuri with her arms propping her up, their faces lined up perfectly for a kiss. All she had to do was let go of her inhibitions and finally do it. Little did she know, Yuri was having the same internal struggle too and was nervous about interlocking lips with her partner. Yuri had just been teasing her and had ulterior motives for putting Koko in such positions. She did so to make it easier for Koko to make the first move so she didn't have to. Now Yuri had teased Koko too much and thus refused to make the first move.
Yuri gazed into Koko's eyes and began to push through her own hesitations. Having made it that far already, Yuri decided to just go for it and pulled Koko in close. Koko was about to speak until Yuri locked lips with her, closing her eyes while kissing her passionately.
Koko was completely caught off guard and unknowingly held her breath in after feeling Yuri's lips upon her own. As soon as it all processed in her head, Koko exhaled through her nose and closed her eyes as well, kissing Yuri back. She then moved fully on top of Yuri, straddling her waist without breaking their kiss. As their kissing continued, Koko began to lose control of herself and got more liberal with her touching. She rubbed Yuri's arm with her hand and ran it up and down its length.
A few more moments passed before the two of them withdrew, opening their eyes as they stared at each other lovingly. Both their hearts were beating fast as neither one could look away from one another. Koko then moved back in and smooched Yuri once more, also reaching up and grasping one of Yuri's breasts. She tenderly fondled it in her right hand as she continued to kiss her.
Yuri winced with a slight moan as she felt Koko groping her chest. "My! When did you get so bold all of a sudden?" she asked after Koko broke their kiss.
Koko was too lost in the moment to respond and moved on to kissing Yuri's neck as she moved on down her body. She removed her hand from Yuri's breast as she continued her journey downward, kissing her chest and stomach before arriving down further. Drunk with desire and yearning more, Koko grasped the sides of Yuri's pants and began to pull down but was promptly stopped by Yuri grabbing her wrist.
"Hey! Wait!" said Yuri as she prevented Koko from continuing on.
Koko stopped and looked to Yuri. "What's the matter? We're both virgins, right? We can both lose our virginities together. I promise, I'll be gentle," she said as she began to tug on the sides of Yuri's pants.
"Koko!" said Yuri as she jerked on Koko's arm which made her stop again. "Please. I'm not exactly…," she said as she began to quiet down, loosening her grip on Koko's arm. "I'm- I'm not a virgin."
Even though Koko was almost completely lost in her thirst, she started to sober up as she listened to Yuri's words. "Huh? You're not?" she asked as she let go of Yuri's pants.
Yuri shook her head. "No…," she said, her tone even quitter than before as she tried to avoid talking about her dark past.
"But… you said you've never been in a relationship before," said Koko as she moved further up on the bed next to Yuri. Yuri remained quiet as she diverted her gaze away. Seeing Yuri start to get emotional, it all began to click in Koko's head. "Oh, I'm- I'm sorry," she said.
Yuri wiped a tear away and shook her head, looking back to Koko. "No. It's my fault. I shouldn't have let things get out of control," she said before giving Koko a comforting smile. "It happened a long time ago, so I've mostly gotten over it. But… I'm just not ready to take things that far yet."
Koko gave a nod, rubbing her arm remorsefully. "I understand," she said, looking down away from Yuri. "I should have gotten a better hold of myself as well." The two sat together for a few moments in silence as they processed what had just happened.
"Talk about killing the mood, huh?" said Yuri finally.
Koko chuckled. "Yeah, well. I guess this would be a good time for me to take my leave then," she said as she crawled over Yuri. She sat on the edge of the bed and looked around the room. Her gear was on the table across the room with her boots placed beside a chair. Yuri's belongings were also on the table and her boots were neatly placed besides Koko's. "How did you get in here anyway?" she asked, turning her head towards Yuri.
Yuri sat up and scooted closer to Koko, draping her arms around her. "A girl's gottta have her secrets, no?" she said, nuzzling her cheek against Koko's back.
Koko caressed Yuri's hand then stood up to get ready. She went over to the rest of her belongings and began getting dressed. Still sitting on the bed, Yuri watched as Koko got ready, admiring her physique. After a while, Yuri got out of bed and began gathering her things as well. When they were both done, they went downstairs and left the inn. They stood together off to the side just like the night before, neither one wanting to leave first.
"Well, 'til next time?" asked Koko as she outstretched her hand for a handshake.
Yuri glared at Koko, looking from Koko's hand back to her face. She then playfully swatted the hand out of the way and hugged Koko in a tight embrace. "Just don't wait too long until then," she said, holding her lover close.
Koko beamed at the feeling of the sudden embrace and wrapped her arms around Yuri as well, caressing her back. She relished the feeling of Yuri's supple body pressed against her own, nuzzling her head against hers. After a brief silence, Koko spoke up.
"This may sound selfish and all, but…," said Koko as she continued to hold Yuri close. "…come with me. I have house we can live in together. There's plenty of things to do around the island. Though, there isn't much an assassin can do there, but if you decide to join the Order, I'm sure I can pull some strings so you'd get something you'd like."
Yuri smiled at the offer. "That does sound tempting but, even if I did want to go with you right now -which I do- there are some things I need to take care of first before I can do that," she said. "But once I get my affairs in order, at least I know where to find you so I can come be with you when the time comes."
"Oh, well. If that's the case, I'll be waiting for you then," said Koko.
Without letting the embrace linger for too long, Yuri regretfully withdrew as did Koko. They exchanged smiles then started off on their separate ways, Koko heading down the road while Yuri going in the opposite direction.