A/N: Sorry about the wait, I had a bit of rewriting to do as I changed my mind on a few plot points earlier on and had to change the tack of this part. Chris and Gure are still in the hotel, thinking about things. I hope that this was worth the wait. It's a bit on the goofy side at parts, but hey, that follows. As always Mayu and Tori are in their own little boxes.
And I don't own Fruits Basket or the characters therein.
Kimonos Make for Interesting Bed Partners
"Alright," Chris asked after he had recovered from being caught in his thoughts,
"Where do we go from here?"
I pulled him close and held him saying,
"Well, nothing's changed for me. But if you're not ready I understand."
He smiled at me and said,
"I'm more than ready."
He pushed me down on the couch and began kissing me and caressing my body.
We were both getting heavily into it when he said,
"Um Gure, I'm not used to making out with a guy in a kimono. There' s so much fabric. I'm used to suits and jeans that make things a bit more obvious, where things are. Especially at this point. By the way am I on your sleeves?"
"We're both on my sleeves, but I'm not going anywhere. And it's a bit more mysterious this way, isn't it? You can't tell if that's a fold of cloth or if I'm just happy to see you."
I then moaned as he finally found what he had been searching for.
"Sounds pretty happy."
"Very. But I think it's time for something beyond hide and seek don't you think?"
He nodded.
I rose and led Chris to my bedroom. I then took off my first and second layers and stood before him in my protective under layer and said,
"There, that should give you a better idea of where things are."
I sat down on the bed and pulled him beside me.
He said, "Yes, that definitely helps."
We continued as we had before, hands exploring bodies, lips caressing skin. I could feel
feel him grow hard beneath my hand. His hand drifted down as well, and I could feel myself start to grow under his touch. Looking at me questioningly, I nodded, and he undid the ties of my nagajuban and slipped his hand underneath the folds. His hands skimmed across my skin and the feeling was electric. I slipped my hand beneath the waistband of his pants and stroked him. He soon became fully aroused and shrugged off his t shirt and pants and moved on top of me. We moved together and the delightful friction of frottage soon brought me close to my climax. As I got closer, I became carried away in my passion and bit Chris on the neck.
He yelled, "Oh God Gurrre!" and we crested. He then pulled me close as the waves washed through us. Then he put his hand to his neck and said,
"Well, I hope that's below my collar."
"Oh, I didn't think about that. Sorry."
He kissed me and said,
"It doesn't matter, most everyone will be looking at you anyway."
He could tell I was beginning to think about the real world, so he began
to nibble my ear to bring me back to the matter at hand.
"Mmmmm. That's nice."
"Well, your neck is off limits as it wouldn't do to have my client have an enormous hickey in pictures."
"No, I think that would be hard to explain, especially if we wanted to steer questions about who the Dog Headed Knight falls for."
"I think I know something else that's hard."
His hand drifted down and I felt him massage my length. It felt amazing and soon we were taking pleasure in each other once again. Thoughts about the tour, my family, and anything other than how the Fabulous Mr. Fox made me feel went right out of my mind.
We then laid in each other's arms taking pleasure in the warmth.
We lay quietly for a moment. I said,
"I wish we could stay like this forever. I'm not looking forward to going back out there. The winter world out there is so cold it's nice and warm in your arms."
"Well, you'll have a rest tomorrow. We'll get through this."
He tweaked my nose and said,
"You just need to work with me."
"Well, it's getting late, we should probably take a shower and get ready for bed."
He admired me as I stood completely naked in front of him. And he soon joined me in that state. My explorations through cloth only hinted at his beautiful body. He was amply endowed and toned and just exactly what I found attractive. Our shower soon became a getting to know you session. He soon had me pressed against the wall. It felt amazing feeling his body against mine, and I had to tell myself that I wasn't going to rush into things for once. Although, I conceded, as I felt him cup my behind and draw me closer to him, I might cave on that if things were headed that way.
We stepped out of the shower and wrapped in the fluffy towels. We ended up back in my bed. After sharing a sweet goodnight kiss, I spooned him, and we fell asleep together.
When I woke, Chris was already up and sitting on the couch having a heated conversation with someone.
"He's exhausted. That's why I canceled. "I sat down next to him, and he put a finger to his lips silencing me.
"We could add another engagement as there's wiggle room on the other end of the schedule."
"Clients burn out. He's had a rough time."
"Alright. I'll get in touch with them."
"Yes. Yes, I understand that I'm in charge. I'm sure he'll be up for it tomorrow."
"Ok."
"Ok."
"Ok."
"Ok.
"Bye now."
"Goodbye."
He hung up pulled me in and said,
"Sorry, apparently there was some backlash from canceling on one of the events. The president's daughter is in the club that I canceled on and he's angry."
As he was still in a state from his conversation with the brass, I kissed him on the nape of his neck, and let him carry on.
After call after call, he looked worried, then resolute.
He turned to me and said,
"Well Gure, as of now we don't have a hotel room until tomorrow night. I caused a bit of a chain reaction in the schedule by cancelling the events today. I generally don't do such rash things. But I'm sure we can figure something out."
"I am an agent of chaos. We're in my neighborhood, we could stay in my studio."
"As lovely as that sounds, I think I can offer something better. We're also in my neighborhood, so we can stay in my apartment. We need to pick up my car anyway, as we can't call a car to go out tonight. You are supposed to be resting and they wouldn't appreciate it if we used company resources for a night on the town after I caused World War Three by canceling"
"Isn't that funny. We could have passed each other on the street and not known it.
"We were in different places then. Clearly things have lined up for us now." He kissed me deeply then, saying,
"But we're here now, that's all that matters."
His statement was worthy of many of my own.
He smiled and said,
"Well, I don't think I have much more than a box of baking soda in the fridge, but we could go out to eat or order in after having drinks with Aya."
"I'd like that."
We checked out of the hotel and took a cab to his apartment. As this was public transportation, Chris was a little less reserved than normal. We were both focused entirely on each other, not thinking about the future, or what might have been left behind that would make that future more interesting than it had to be. But at that moment, we had both feet firmly set in the present and were enjoying it intensely.
Chris' apartment was the modern version of my studio as a developer had restored the space to its former grandeur. It was like I had been transported from the shadowy land of possibilities where I had once dwelled with Mayu, to a reality with solid walls. We stood in the bright sunlight together, no shadows in sight.
"Do you want the grand tour?"
"Yes please."
The main living area was bright and airy with room for living and work carefully carved out of the cavernous space. There was a comfy couch grouped with side chairs, as well as a balcony with a breakfast table that overlooked the city, immaculate kitchen that spoke to not ever being used, and a dining area. His bedroom lay behind one of the few walled off spaces of the loft.
"So," asked Chris, "When are we meeting Aya?"
"I said I'd call."
"Oh good, we have time."
He led me to his bedroom, pushed me on the bed and slid his hand beneath the folds of my kimono, clearly forgetting about the under robes.
He said, "This is going to take a bit of getting used to."
I smiled and said,
"It just makes foreplay all that more entertaining."
We began in earnest after that.
Smiling at me, he said
"Are you ready?"
As I looked into his deep blue eyes, I felt something I hadn't in a while, so I nodded.
I nodded
He then opened his bedside table drawer, felt around, and said,
"Unless you can do that magic trick with the drawer and pull a condom out from nothingness we're going to have to wait. As I said it's been a while since I've spent much time at home."
"Waiting makes the hearts grow fonder or so they say. I wouldn't know, I generally don't get to the waiting part."
We cuddle for a bit until we felt passion rose between us again.
Chris found the ties for my obi belt, but, flashing him a mischievous smile, I said,
"Sit down, I'll give you a show."
Now over the years, I had watched many erotic performances The look but don't touch angle was perfect for me given I couldn't have for the most part anyway.
Granted I only had three layers on, while many of those women and men wore more complicated ensembles. But I made the performance last. I even threw in some of the performances Aya had choreographed for New Years as they included beautiful movements that emphasized the beauty and grace of a body in motion.
Chris sat and pleasured himself as I danced. I could tell he was completely enthralled.
When I sat down wrapped in my underrobe, he turned to me with so much emotion in his eyes.
"Gure, he said,
"Yes?"
"That had to have been one of the most beautiful things I've seen in my life."
Feeling a bit shy as I thought back to his conversation the night before I said,
"You were a fashion photographer, I'm sure you've seen plenty of beautiful men, and they were likely far more beautiful than I."
He whispered,
"Perhaps it's that shift in perspective we were talking about before."
I smiled and kissed him again and said,
"Perhaps."
I undid the buttons of his shirt and kissed the exposed skin. I noted the indentation of my teeth from the night before and thought, "Well I'm a bad Dog, aren't I?"
Blue eyes met my gray ones and for a minute I thought I felt the world turn on its axis. Chris seemed to note the disturbance as well as he put a steadying hand on my shoulder. He looked questioningly at me. Shrugging, I said,
"Tiny tremor?"
I knew it wasn't, and I felt overwhelmed by the feeling but as I wasn't ready to try to explain I was happy when he accepted that as a probable explanation.
I then asked him if I should continue, and he said emphatically, "Yes!"
I followed the progress down the front of his body with my kisses. Divesting him of his pants and shirt, we were soon tangled together amongst the soft sheets of his bed. I so wanted to take the next step, but for the first time in my life I felt the value of waiting. And, as I remembered saying once before, there were many ways of finding pleasure. Taking one of his sensitive nipples into my mouth, I began gently nibbling. He moaned under my ministrations. I then moved down his body, caressing him but stopped before things became too heated.
"I'm sorry. I think we should wait until we have protection. I'm always careful, but I've had multiple partners lately. My cousin is a doctor, and I can hear his voice in my head telling me to be safe."
"You're right. But I am stopping at a pharmacy tonight."
I was feeling that way too. I wanted him so much, and I could tell he wanted me, but instead, we wrapped our hands around each other and came together. He kissed me again and we held each other close. I contemplated the feeling I had had earlier. Could it be that the Fates were smiling once again?
Mayu interlude
We had spent the day walking on the beach. It was chilly, but Tori held me close. The waves calmly lapped in front of us, and the gulls cried, adding to nature's song. I pulled Tori in for a kiss and for a few minutes we were completely connected, as if the time when we searched for each other never occurred. And then he got a weird look in his eyes.
Worriedly, I asked,
"Are you ok Tori?"
Hatori interlude
I wasn't sure exactly to put the words to what I felt but if pressed, it felt like something that had been tightly bound within me had started to loosen. It didn't give me a sense of loss however, but rather it felt like something had shifted to make room. As I wasn't sure I simply said,
"Sohma moment."
She nodded, as she was becoming quite familiar with the strangeness of our family.
A/N: Well I hope that was worth the wait. Chris and Gure are progressing well and soon they will be able to be together fully. Their road to Okinawa is clearing, and, like Tori and Mayu, they will meet under the earliest cherry blossoms to bloom in Japan. So SPRING IS COMING! (Won't it be nice to have a story not set in winter?) That's coming too! As always r and r! And I remain, Acta!
