A Day Without Rain
Chapter 3: Play Time
By Clay
Tomoe locked eyes with Kenshin, holding them as she let the hakama drop. Air rushed about her calves and she luxuriated in the feeling, in the taboo of exposing even this much in public and in the flushed cheeks and wide eyes of her husband.
She felt her own cheeks turning red and hesitated a moment, hands poised at the ties securing her gi... her husband's gi. It's was only slightly too large for her, just covering her knees. Dressing to work in the garden, it hadn't occurred to her that she was wearing anything more than the only available clothing for the job, but now, as her hands brushed against the warm cotton, fingers almost fumbling with the knot, she felt a quiver of sensuality course down her spine.
-----------------------------------
Kenshin stared, completely forgetting the rudeness of blatantly watching a woman undress. Despite the fact that Tomoe was his wife, he had yet to touch her so intimately or even see her bare flesh, only a glimpse of an arm or the curve of her back caught while changing at night. His eyes were drawn to her calves, smooth and pale. He imagined how they would feel beneath his palm, or....
The thought was suddenly cut off as Tomoe's gi dropped to the ground. He stared at the blue material pooled around her feet, almost afraid to look up. Images flashed through his mind, fantasies he dared not let surface until now. He raised his eyes to meet his wife's and almost sighed with relief... and disappointment. She stood before him, white under layer still clinging to her body with sweat. She made no move to disrobe any further. Kenshin shifted, finding his loincloth had grown somewhat tight at his earlier thoughts, and the subtle curves of Tomoe's body mere feet in front of him did little to deter that. He wasn't sure if he was ready to see her completely bare yet or to deal with what came after that, but the temptation was still there.
She seemed to hesitate, cheeks amusingly pink and he had to wonder what she was thinking at that moment, how far it was that she wanted to go, despite what was or was not proper. After a short time, she turned away, walking carefully towards the water. There was another moment of hesitation before dipping one foot into the soft waves. He watched her shiver, fine tremors along her delicate body. The water must be cold. She slipped the other foot in, walking out a few feet until the water just brushed her clothing. Her body half turned, eyes watching him expectantly.
Kenshin let out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding. With an almost indiscernible nod, he reached for his own clothing ties, loosening the peasant's shirt he had donned that morning. He shrugged off the tan material and put a hand to his pants, taking a moment to calm his overactive hormones. Soon they joined his shirt in the grass and he was striding slowly towards the waters edge.
He could feel Tomoe's eyes on him and wished he had decided like her to keep his shirt on. He stood before her in merely his loincloth and could only imagine what she thought of his body. Not stopping to think any further, he dove into the water and propelled himself away from the shore, away from a tempting body and curious eyes that he wasn't sure how to deal with right now. The water was cold, but felt so good. It slid past his body and swept the hair away from his face as he submerged himself completely. Kenshin pushed back towards the surface. Hitting the hot summer air once again, he breathed deeply, throwing his head back to toss wet bangs off his forehead.
-----------------------------------
Tomoe took a startled step back as Kenshin sprang forward into the lake. The stone beneath her feet was slippery with moss and she fought desperately to keep her balance. With a soft cry, Tomoe felt herself fall back and land, rather painfully, on her backside. Water splashed up around her, soaking the entirety of her clothing and leaving her sitting in cold liquid that reached to just below her breasts. She was annoyed at the display of weakness, at the clumsiness unbefitting of a wife. Cringing at the idea of her husband seeing her like this, she jerked her head up, scanning the water. About twenty feet ahead of her, Kenshin broke the surface of the lake. The light of the setting sun glinted off his hair, sparkling fire in a sea of blue. He tossed his head back, sending droplets of water showering down around him before training his eyes on her. A frown crossed his face and he was moving towards her.
He stopped when he was only a few feet in front of her and stood up, extending his hand towards her. "Are you all right?"
The water dripped off his body and ran in gold tinged rivulets down the defined planes of his chest, mixing into the lake at his waist. Kenshin appeared almost ethereal as he reached down and clasped her hands, responding to her slight nod. His palms were slick, but he held on tightly. Kenshin tugged and Tomoe felt herself sliding on the moss, but caught her footing just as Kenshin came tumbling forward. She winced as new pain shot through her and then fell back, Kenshin's weight hitting her body. Sitting up, Tomoe stared in silence at the sight before her. Kenshin was lying across her chest, face buried in the space between her breasts. He lay still; she could feel the warmth of his chest through the cold water and suppressed a shiver. Despite her attempts otherwise, she found him attractive. They'd never been this close before and here she could see the myriad of colors hidden in his hair and feel the hardness of his muscles that she'd only imagined before. Kenshin shifted slightly and his cheek brushed against the side of her breast. Tomoe felt her cheeks go hot as she realized he was right where she wanted him to be.
-----------------------------------
Kenshin started to pull Tomoe up when he felt the ground slip out from under him. Instinct kicked in and he attempted to brace his fall, realizing a bit too late that he still held Tomoe's hands. He detached himself and flung his hands out. Hopefully, he would at least save her from taking his full weight. His palms hit the moss covered rock... and slipped. Kenshin found himself falling forward; his cheek hit Tomoe's chest and stomach landed on her knees, knocking the wind out of him. After a moment the pain subsided and Kenshin took in a breath, preparing to lift himself from his wife, but before he had a chance to move, his eyes opened and he realized exactly where he was. He was too shocked to blush as his earlier fantasies raced through his mind along with the fear of what would happen when he did find the nerve to get up. He was sure to get slapped for his unintentional forwardness.
And it wouldn't help his case any to linger. Kenshin braced his palms against the rocks and shifted his weight to his right arm. His cheek slid across wet fabric, brushing against something warm and soft that elicited a nearly inaudible gasp from his wife. Kenshin lifted his head. Inches away Tomoe's breast fell as she exhaled, the faint outline of a nipple visible through the now semi-transparent material. Rather than let his mind work with this new image, Kenshin raised his head to meet Tomoe's gaze. Her eyes were trained on his, watching his every move with flushed cheeks and slightly parted lips. Transfixed, he could only return the look, his body hovering slightly over hers and not quite ready or willing to move. The scent of white plum lifted from her and hung in the air, an intoxicating cloud.
It was delicious and erotic... and he wanted more. Almost as if acting of its own accord, Kenshin saw his hand withdraw from the water and trail along Tomoe's arm. It reached her shoulder and wavered slightly before dipping back to entangle his fingers in her loose, wet hair. He felt Tomoe shiver beneath him and wondered again just how far this would go.
-----------------------------------
Tomoe closed her eyes when Kenshin's fingertips grazed the skin of her neck. He slid his hand out of her hair and continued to explore, light touches traveling across her collar to the fold of her gi. She tried to suppress the tremors provoked by his touch, but she'd never felt anything like this before. He was the first man to even see her like this, much less touch her. He slowly trailed back up her neck and stopped, fingers partially tangled in the hair at her nape.
Tomoe's eyes fluttered open when he made no move to continue. His eyes were dark and unfocused, warm fingers pressed against her skin. She watched him for a moment, knowing she wanted more and his hesitance, as endearing, as attractive as it made him, was driving her crazy. Her body was nagging her, desperate to be touched. She tilted her head, pushing her cheek into Kenshin's palm and was rewarded with his soft exhalation. After a moment he seemed to regain his confidence; his thumb slid around the curve of her jaw to caress her bottom lip.
Tomoe turned her eyes to his once again, but though they were aimed toward her lips, they still seemed distant, as if lost in thought. She heaved herself up, switching her support from her elbows to her hands. Kenshin's eyes widened as she bridged the gap between them. Her breasts lifted, just brushing his chest and Kenshin immediately focused again. His eyes traveled down her neck to the fold where her gi met skin. Body suddenly tense, his head snapped up to meet Tomoe's eyes.
"Tomoe... I..." The words were strained and Tomoe couldn't help but notice how uncomfortable he seemed to be. Had she done something wrong?
Suddenly ashamed of her forwardness, Tomoe leaned back and turned away. "I'm sorry."
"No!"
She jerked her head back to watch Kenshin. He hadn't moved, still watching her with an almost terrified expression, one hand reaching out where he'd held her cheek.
"No, I... it wasn't..." He let his hand fall to run his fingers across her collarbone and back down her arm. "I didn't mind." The words were whispered. Kenshin's hand stopped midway down her upper arm, moving inward to graze the side of her breast. Almost without thinking, he grazed his thumb over her nipple and felt it harden beneath his touch. His cheeks immediately went a dark crimson and he sprang back, climbing to his feet in one smooth motion, eyes wide, startled. "I..." He cleared his throat. "Sorry. I should... I'll take you home."
Kenshin moved to higher ground, and Tomoe found herself staring at the setting sun, frustrated and a little confused. She obediently offered her hands when he reached down to help her up, disappointed when he immediately turned away, finished his task. She watched him walk away, moving into the grass to find his clothes and begin dressing, and the next ten minutes were spent in silence, both preferring to be alone with their thoughts.
Tomoe finished tying her hair back and turned to watch Kenshin. He was patiently waiting for her, gazing out over the water. All she had to do was tell him she was ready to go and he'd nod and walk her back. Or perhaps she should apologize for asking him to come here. Afterwards they'd go home, eat dinner and end the day the way they always did.
She was sick of it. but there was nothing she could do. She had just begun to accept her feelings for Kenshin, and despite her little stunt today she wasn't sure she had the courage to make any drastic moves. She wasn't even sure what she wanted.
Maybe, instead of worrying about what she should do or what she was ready for, she could just act and see for herself what happened. With a pause and a mental push, she crossed the distance to where Kenshin stood. He turned to her as she approached, his demeanor as cold as when they'd first met, yet there was something about his eyes. It was as if he was trying to hide his fear, his uncertainty behind this well-known mask.
She cast her eyes down. "I'm sorry for...." A mental slap. She wasn't about to let herself fall back on habit. Looking up, she met Kenshin's eyes. He was watching her with vague disinterest, as if waiting for his cue to go. Without taking her eyes off his, Tomoe searched out his hand. Her fingers slid down his sleeve before nestling into his palm. His hand seemed to instinctively close around hers and Tomoe gave him a small smile. "I'm sorry that things ended this way. I'd like to come here again." She squeezed his hand and then threaded her fingers with his. "I... I like seeing you wet."
Kenshin was just staring at her as if not quite sure what to make of her words, and then a confused smile seemed to find its way to his lips. He paused a moment, giving her a thoughtful look and then started toward the path, still holding her hand. "Let's go home." He dropped her hand and as they started towards home, she fell back, walking the proper distance behind him.
After a moment he stopped and turned back to her with a smile. "Maybe it will be hot again tomorrow."
The End
-----------------------------------
Author's Notes: Yes, this is the end. Sorry, no sex. ^_^ There are a few things I wanted to say.
First off, I want to give credit to my sister, SoulDream, mostly for the word "liquid" ^_^ but also for putting up with me and helping me edit. Also to the charming and witty Sevarem, my second editor.
Um... there was more... well, I wanted to ask for peoples' opinions on the ending. I know it's a bit clichéd, and maybe I'll change it in the future, but it has to do for now. My main reason for writing this story was I suddenly had the urge to make T&K go play in the water. Plot, a beginning, and an ending came later. ^_^ So, the ending sucks, but this wasn't really a story in my head, just a scene, so it will do.
And I know there was a third thing... I just have no idea what it was. Possibly something about writing the sex thing later, which I do plan on. But not right now. Right now I want to draw. ^_^
-- I remembered. I want to apologize for making this story one big tease. This is what I always intended to happen, though I have to admit that when I got to writing the end even I was dissapointed. ^_^
06/21/02
Chapter 3: Play Time
By Clay
Tomoe locked eyes with Kenshin, holding them as she let the hakama drop. Air rushed about her calves and she luxuriated in the feeling, in the taboo of exposing even this much in public and in the flushed cheeks and wide eyes of her husband.
She felt her own cheeks turning red and hesitated a moment, hands poised at the ties securing her gi... her husband's gi. It's was only slightly too large for her, just covering her knees. Dressing to work in the garden, it hadn't occurred to her that she was wearing anything more than the only available clothing for the job, but now, as her hands brushed against the warm cotton, fingers almost fumbling with the knot, she felt a quiver of sensuality course down her spine.
-----------------------------------
Kenshin stared, completely forgetting the rudeness of blatantly watching a woman undress. Despite the fact that Tomoe was his wife, he had yet to touch her so intimately or even see her bare flesh, only a glimpse of an arm or the curve of her back caught while changing at night. His eyes were drawn to her calves, smooth and pale. He imagined how they would feel beneath his palm, or....
The thought was suddenly cut off as Tomoe's gi dropped to the ground. He stared at the blue material pooled around her feet, almost afraid to look up. Images flashed through his mind, fantasies he dared not let surface until now. He raised his eyes to meet his wife's and almost sighed with relief... and disappointment. She stood before him, white under layer still clinging to her body with sweat. She made no move to disrobe any further. Kenshin shifted, finding his loincloth had grown somewhat tight at his earlier thoughts, and the subtle curves of Tomoe's body mere feet in front of him did little to deter that. He wasn't sure if he was ready to see her completely bare yet or to deal with what came after that, but the temptation was still there.
She seemed to hesitate, cheeks amusingly pink and he had to wonder what she was thinking at that moment, how far it was that she wanted to go, despite what was or was not proper. After a short time, she turned away, walking carefully towards the water. There was another moment of hesitation before dipping one foot into the soft waves. He watched her shiver, fine tremors along her delicate body. The water must be cold. She slipped the other foot in, walking out a few feet until the water just brushed her clothing. Her body half turned, eyes watching him expectantly.
Kenshin let out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding. With an almost indiscernible nod, he reached for his own clothing ties, loosening the peasant's shirt he had donned that morning. He shrugged off the tan material and put a hand to his pants, taking a moment to calm his overactive hormones. Soon they joined his shirt in the grass and he was striding slowly towards the waters edge.
He could feel Tomoe's eyes on him and wished he had decided like her to keep his shirt on. He stood before her in merely his loincloth and could only imagine what she thought of his body. Not stopping to think any further, he dove into the water and propelled himself away from the shore, away from a tempting body and curious eyes that he wasn't sure how to deal with right now. The water was cold, but felt so good. It slid past his body and swept the hair away from his face as he submerged himself completely. Kenshin pushed back towards the surface. Hitting the hot summer air once again, he breathed deeply, throwing his head back to toss wet bangs off his forehead.
-----------------------------------
Tomoe took a startled step back as Kenshin sprang forward into the lake. The stone beneath her feet was slippery with moss and she fought desperately to keep her balance. With a soft cry, Tomoe felt herself fall back and land, rather painfully, on her backside. Water splashed up around her, soaking the entirety of her clothing and leaving her sitting in cold liquid that reached to just below her breasts. She was annoyed at the display of weakness, at the clumsiness unbefitting of a wife. Cringing at the idea of her husband seeing her like this, she jerked her head up, scanning the water. About twenty feet ahead of her, Kenshin broke the surface of the lake. The light of the setting sun glinted off his hair, sparkling fire in a sea of blue. He tossed his head back, sending droplets of water showering down around him before training his eyes on her. A frown crossed his face and he was moving towards her.
He stopped when he was only a few feet in front of her and stood up, extending his hand towards her. "Are you all right?"
The water dripped off his body and ran in gold tinged rivulets down the defined planes of his chest, mixing into the lake at his waist. Kenshin appeared almost ethereal as he reached down and clasped her hands, responding to her slight nod. His palms were slick, but he held on tightly. Kenshin tugged and Tomoe felt herself sliding on the moss, but caught her footing just as Kenshin came tumbling forward. She winced as new pain shot through her and then fell back, Kenshin's weight hitting her body. Sitting up, Tomoe stared in silence at the sight before her. Kenshin was lying across her chest, face buried in the space between her breasts. He lay still; she could feel the warmth of his chest through the cold water and suppressed a shiver. Despite her attempts otherwise, she found him attractive. They'd never been this close before and here she could see the myriad of colors hidden in his hair and feel the hardness of his muscles that she'd only imagined before. Kenshin shifted slightly and his cheek brushed against the side of her breast. Tomoe felt her cheeks go hot as she realized he was right where she wanted him to be.
-----------------------------------
Kenshin started to pull Tomoe up when he felt the ground slip out from under him. Instinct kicked in and he attempted to brace his fall, realizing a bit too late that he still held Tomoe's hands. He detached himself and flung his hands out. Hopefully, he would at least save her from taking his full weight. His palms hit the moss covered rock... and slipped. Kenshin found himself falling forward; his cheek hit Tomoe's chest and stomach landed on her knees, knocking the wind out of him. After a moment the pain subsided and Kenshin took in a breath, preparing to lift himself from his wife, but before he had a chance to move, his eyes opened and he realized exactly where he was. He was too shocked to blush as his earlier fantasies raced through his mind along with the fear of what would happen when he did find the nerve to get up. He was sure to get slapped for his unintentional forwardness.
And it wouldn't help his case any to linger. Kenshin braced his palms against the rocks and shifted his weight to his right arm. His cheek slid across wet fabric, brushing against something warm and soft that elicited a nearly inaudible gasp from his wife. Kenshin lifted his head. Inches away Tomoe's breast fell as she exhaled, the faint outline of a nipple visible through the now semi-transparent material. Rather than let his mind work with this new image, Kenshin raised his head to meet Tomoe's gaze. Her eyes were trained on his, watching his every move with flushed cheeks and slightly parted lips. Transfixed, he could only return the look, his body hovering slightly over hers and not quite ready or willing to move. The scent of white plum lifted from her and hung in the air, an intoxicating cloud.
It was delicious and erotic... and he wanted more. Almost as if acting of its own accord, Kenshin saw his hand withdraw from the water and trail along Tomoe's arm. It reached her shoulder and wavered slightly before dipping back to entangle his fingers in her loose, wet hair. He felt Tomoe shiver beneath him and wondered again just how far this would go.
-----------------------------------
Tomoe closed her eyes when Kenshin's fingertips grazed the skin of her neck. He slid his hand out of her hair and continued to explore, light touches traveling across her collar to the fold of her gi. She tried to suppress the tremors provoked by his touch, but she'd never felt anything like this before. He was the first man to even see her like this, much less touch her. He slowly trailed back up her neck and stopped, fingers partially tangled in the hair at her nape.
Tomoe's eyes fluttered open when he made no move to continue. His eyes were dark and unfocused, warm fingers pressed against her skin. She watched him for a moment, knowing she wanted more and his hesitance, as endearing, as attractive as it made him, was driving her crazy. Her body was nagging her, desperate to be touched. She tilted her head, pushing her cheek into Kenshin's palm and was rewarded with his soft exhalation. After a moment he seemed to regain his confidence; his thumb slid around the curve of her jaw to caress her bottom lip.
Tomoe turned her eyes to his once again, but though they were aimed toward her lips, they still seemed distant, as if lost in thought. She heaved herself up, switching her support from her elbows to her hands. Kenshin's eyes widened as she bridged the gap between them. Her breasts lifted, just brushing his chest and Kenshin immediately focused again. His eyes traveled down her neck to the fold where her gi met skin. Body suddenly tense, his head snapped up to meet Tomoe's eyes.
"Tomoe... I..." The words were strained and Tomoe couldn't help but notice how uncomfortable he seemed to be. Had she done something wrong?
Suddenly ashamed of her forwardness, Tomoe leaned back and turned away. "I'm sorry."
"No!"
She jerked her head back to watch Kenshin. He hadn't moved, still watching her with an almost terrified expression, one hand reaching out where he'd held her cheek.
"No, I... it wasn't..." He let his hand fall to run his fingers across her collarbone and back down her arm. "I didn't mind." The words were whispered. Kenshin's hand stopped midway down her upper arm, moving inward to graze the side of her breast. Almost without thinking, he grazed his thumb over her nipple and felt it harden beneath his touch. His cheeks immediately went a dark crimson and he sprang back, climbing to his feet in one smooth motion, eyes wide, startled. "I..." He cleared his throat. "Sorry. I should... I'll take you home."
Kenshin moved to higher ground, and Tomoe found herself staring at the setting sun, frustrated and a little confused. She obediently offered her hands when he reached down to help her up, disappointed when he immediately turned away, finished his task. She watched him walk away, moving into the grass to find his clothes and begin dressing, and the next ten minutes were spent in silence, both preferring to be alone with their thoughts.
Tomoe finished tying her hair back and turned to watch Kenshin. He was patiently waiting for her, gazing out over the water. All she had to do was tell him she was ready to go and he'd nod and walk her back. Or perhaps she should apologize for asking him to come here. Afterwards they'd go home, eat dinner and end the day the way they always did.
She was sick of it. but there was nothing she could do. She had just begun to accept her feelings for Kenshin, and despite her little stunt today she wasn't sure she had the courage to make any drastic moves. She wasn't even sure what she wanted.
Maybe, instead of worrying about what she should do or what she was ready for, she could just act and see for herself what happened. With a pause and a mental push, she crossed the distance to where Kenshin stood. He turned to her as she approached, his demeanor as cold as when they'd first met, yet there was something about his eyes. It was as if he was trying to hide his fear, his uncertainty behind this well-known mask.
She cast her eyes down. "I'm sorry for...." A mental slap. She wasn't about to let herself fall back on habit. Looking up, she met Kenshin's eyes. He was watching her with vague disinterest, as if waiting for his cue to go. Without taking her eyes off his, Tomoe searched out his hand. Her fingers slid down his sleeve before nestling into his palm. His hand seemed to instinctively close around hers and Tomoe gave him a small smile. "I'm sorry that things ended this way. I'd like to come here again." She squeezed his hand and then threaded her fingers with his. "I... I like seeing you wet."
Kenshin was just staring at her as if not quite sure what to make of her words, and then a confused smile seemed to find its way to his lips. He paused a moment, giving her a thoughtful look and then started toward the path, still holding her hand. "Let's go home." He dropped her hand and as they started towards home, she fell back, walking the proper distance behind him.
After a moment he stopped and turned back to her with a smile. "Maybe it will be hot again tomorrow."
The End
-----------------------------------
Author's Notes: Yes, this is the end. Sorry, no sex. ^_^ There are a few things I wanted to say.
First off, I want to give credit to my sister, SoulDream, mostly for the word "liquid" ^_^ but also for putting up with me and helping me edit. Also to the charming and witty Sevarem, my second editor.
Um... there was more... well, I wanted to ask for peoples' opinions on the ending. I know it's a bit clichéd, and maybe I'll change it in the future, but it has to do for now. My main reason for writing this story was I suddenly had the urge to make T&K go play in the water. Plot, a beginning, and an ending came later. ^_^ So, the ending sucks, but this wasn't really a story in my head, just a scene, so it will do.
And I know there was a third thing... I just have no idea what it was. Possibly something about writing the sex thing later, which I do plan on. But not right now. Right now I want to draw. ^_^
-- I remembered. I want to apologize for making this story one big tease. This is what I always intended to happen, though I have to admit that when I got to writing the end even I was dissapointed. ^_^
06/21/02
