CHAPTER 7: GENTLE HANDS BRING INER PEACE

Takeshi, Tatsuki, and Nagasaki had finished eating and were now at the dorms. Tatsuki was with Takeshi in his and Nagasaki's room and Nagasaki and Keiko were in hers and Tatsuki's room.

-Takeshi's room-

"So what do you want to do?" Tatsuki asked Takeshi.

"You know what I want to do, but you also know what we have to do," Takeshi said coldly.

Tatsuki frowned and said, "Can't we do that later? I mean we could just avoid him. You know, I do have a little bit of massaging oil in my room, I could go get some," Tatsuki offered, a little shyly.

Takeshi just stood there thinking it over.

"You know, you do need a good rubbing, you're really tense," Tatsuki was still pushing him to it.

That's true I am really tense, and it's been a while since I went to a spa to get a massage.

Takeshi thought.

Tatsuki stared at him pouting and looking at him like a little lost dog.

"All right, go get it, I could use a massage," Takeshi said finally giving in.

Tatsuki squealed quietly and ran to him hugging him. She kissed him on the cheek, and ran out of the room.

As she ran into her room and found Nagasaki passionately kissing Keiko on her bed. They were pretty silent, though, so Tatsuki walked silently across the room and found the massaging oil. She snuck out of the room, and ran to Takeshi's room. She found him sitting on the bed, his armor jacket and pants still on.

"Takeshi," Tatsuki whined, "You haven't even taken your shirt off yet."

"Oh, sorry, I was thinking about something," he took of his armor jacket off. "The pants stay though." Takeshi said firmly.

Tatsuki pouted and walked up to him, holding his arm in hers and tracing her finger on his chest. "Please," Tatsuki said to him, pretending she was about to cry, "For me?"

All of Takeshi's firmness just drained away like water in a bath tub and he did as she asked.

Tatsuki smiled and pushed him on his bead. She giggled and rolled him over on his stomach and sat on his butt, dimming the lights. She then rubbed the oil on her hands and began to rub his tense back. The dim lights and her soft, gentle hands against his back put him in a state of inner peace, only one more thing; he grabbed the remote off the floor and turned on his and Nagasaki's stereo, the CD he had left in was the sound of a soft flute; the perfect thing for the occasion.

"Does it feel good?" she asked him. He nodded his head, his eyes closed. "Good," she said and continued, "all I want to do is make you feel like no one has ever made you feel before; I want to make you happy," she said softly.

He opened his eyes and saw that she had taken off her armor shirt and was in her classic white tank top. He was about to protest that they were going too far, but something held his tongue, was it pleasure?

"I love you," she whispered to him, "more than any one or anything, I love you Takeshi Oboro," she was right next to his ear but still had her hands in his back.

"I, love you too Tatsuki Oboro," he said, also using her full name.

She stopped rubbing his back and he turned around so that he was now on his back. She smiled, approving of the new position. She smiled again to his face and softly kissed his lips. He accepted her, and when she lifted her head saw that she had tears in her eyes.

"Tatsuki, what's wrong?" Takeshi asked.

She shook her head and undid her hair from the twin buns she always wore, letting her hair fall to his face. "I love you so much I don't know what to do with myself."

"There's one thing you could do," he said looking into her eyes, she put her head down and they locked their mouths together in a long, passionate kiss.

"I can't live without you," Tatsuki said between her heavy breaths.

"And I you," Takeshi replied to her.

Tatsuki giggled and kissed his forehead. She traced her finger on his chest again, and she looked with love and compassion in his eyes. She sat up and began to take her tank top off. She had it half way up until Takeshi held her hands still.

"No, don't. Not yet anyway." He was serious; the last thing he wanted was to be a father at fourteen.

"Why not?" she asked disappointed, "I'm not pretty enough right, that's it isn't it." She was about to cry and already had tears in her eyes.

"No, no, not at all. Tatsuki you're the most beautiful girl I've ever met. I can't think of even one person that's prettier than you are. I just don't think we should do this just yet; I don't want to be a father, not yet. Can you wait for me?"

She put her tank top back down and said to him, "I understand. What was I thinking? I'm so stupid!" she started crying and put her head down into his chest.

"No Tatsuki, you're not stupid, you just weren't thinking. It's all right, I do it all the time." She laughed a little and looked up at him, tears still in her eyes. Takeshi wiped away her tears and gave her a big smile.

"I love you," she said again.

"I love you too," Takeshi replied.

"Well I love you more," she teased.

"Nu-uh, I love you more," Takeshi said playfully.

"No I love you more," she giggled.

"Well then there's only one way to solve this," he said. He began to tickle her and she laughed uncontrollably. "Who loves who more? Well?"

"Okay, okay Takeshi, you love me more!" he stopped tickling her and he kissed her on the top of her head.

"I thought so," he said as he grinned,

There was a knock at the door, and Tatsuki jumped off of Takeshi and said to him, "Quick, put your pants back on."

"Right," he put on his armor pants and found a white T-shirt to wear. Now that he was dressed he went to the door to see who was knocking. He opened the door to see that it was one of the other kunoichi that lived in the dorms, Ayane. He wasn't really happy to see her, since she had had and obvious crush on him for the longest time, not to mention her and Tatsuki were the bitterest of enemies.

"Uh, hi Ayane," was all he managed to say.

"Hey Takeshi, do you have a minute?" she said flirtingly.

"Umm, actually I have someone here right now," he stammered.

"I'm sure they can wait for just a few minutes," she said putting her hand on his chest and letting it slide down to his stomach. Apparently no one had told Ayane that he was with Tatsuki now.

Just as he was about to tell her that she should come back another time, he felt Tatsuki put her arms around his waste, her head rested on his shoulder as she glared at Ayane. Then just to spite her, she wrapped her leg around Takeshi's waist and rubbed his crotch with her foot.

"Why is she here Takeshi?" Ayane said angrily.

"No one told? Well let me: Takeshi and I are lovers now," Tatsuki said calmly.

"I wasn't talking to you, you filthy orphan!" Ayane said bitterly.

Takeshi didn't want to hurt Ayane, but that's where she went too far. He pulled a hidden shuriken out of his armor pants, grabbed Ayane's head and held the shuriken to her throat. Ayane screamed in terror and Tatsuki tried to hold Takeshi back. Takeshi was enraged now; he said to her, "Never, I mean never call Tatsuki that again. Do you hear me?"

"Takeshi, stop!" Tatsuki said to him.

Ayane screamed to him, "Let me go!"

"Takeshi, let go!" Tatsuki said to him again.

Nagasaki and Keiko had come out of her room now and as they saw what was happening Keiko screamed and Nagasaki went to help Tatsuki.

"Takeshi, what's wrong with you? Let go before you hurt someone!" Nagasaki said to him as he tried to pull him off of Ayane. "Tatsuki, what happened? I've never seen him like this."

"Ayane called me an orphan and he just went berserk!" she said as they were pulling on him to let go.

"That's enough!" a voice said and a sword's blade knocked the shuriken out of Takeshi's hand.

-end chapter 7-