A/N: Disclaimer: Refer back to Chapter 1.
WARNING: LANGUAGE, OOC, LEMON
Chapter 3: Conundrum
Night came all too soon. Rikimaru stared at his sword, Izayoi, "Master…is this the right path?"
His thoughts wandered back to Ayame. 'She still loves him…She'll always love him.' he thought sadly. 'But then, I should have never expected such things from her…I am the Azuma Ninja clan leader…I shouldn't be having such thoughts…at least, not about her.'
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Ayame felt terrible. She let her personal feelings tamper with her judgment. She also yelled at Rikimaru for trying to console her. "Rikimaru…I'm sorry."
Ayame leapt from one house to another until she came to Rikimaru's. Although they were professional assassins, Ayame and Rikimaru both still led simple lives. They only lived in small houses just outside Lord Gohda's Palace. Ayame knocked on his door and stepped inside. Sure enough he was inside, grasping Izayoi.
"Ayame…what can I do for you in this late hour?" he asked gently without looking at her.
Ayame scouted the small house. It was simple with just one bedroom, a stove, a small table and some cushions to sit on. Ayame blinked, "I-I came to apologize Riki…I didn't mean to tell you all those terrible things I said."
Rikimaru still refused to look at her, "There's no need to apologize Ayame. You were grieving a loved one's death. Your actions are understandable…you are human first and a ninja second."
Ayame nodded. His statements were always flat and emotionless; his face expressionless.
"Riki? Would you please…look at me?" she asked quietly. He tilted his head from where he was sitting and looked at her. She was beautiful. She always was in his eyes.
"That's better…" Ayame smiled. Not just a smile, but a genuine one, "Riki, could you do me a favor and remove that mask?"
"Why? You've already seen me without it Ayame." he stated defiantly.
"I know that but…I want to…see you…without it, again." Ayame breathed, plopping down to the cushion next to him. She gazed intently in his eyes and he in hers. She was getting lost in them…and didn't know how, and why. Rikimaru nodded and removed his mask. Ayame stared; she swallowed. He looked so handsome.
They continued to stare at each other and began to grow closer, inch by inch. They leaned in, closer and closer until their faces were only a few centimeters apart. Ayame's brain racked for her to do something, to say something but she instead closed her eyes and waited for their lips to connect.
Rikimaru's heart pounded. He too closed his eyes and their lips brushed against each other. Electricity shot through Ayame's body. Rikimaru pressed his body against her and pried her mouth open with his tongue. She wrapped her arms around his neck and parted her lips to grant him entry. She moaned and he chuckled.
Rikimaru broke their kiss and stared into her eyes, "Ayame…"
Ayame slowly opened her eyes to find a mortified looking Rikimaru. Ayame put a finger on his lips, "Ssshh…Rikimaru. I need you…please…" she whispered slowly, seductively.
Her eyes told him she needed him, her kisses told him she wanted him. Rikimaru lost himself in her and crushed his lips on hers, filled with passion and need. He pulled her up with him as he stood up, grasping both her upper arms. He pushed her towards a wall where he continued to kiss her. She matched his kiss in equal passion and desire.
His hands gripped her arms tightly and traveled under her shirt to the trails of her breasts. Ayame moaned again, she was getting hotter by the second. Rikimaru tore his face from hers and sucked on her neck. His kisses were urgent and forceful; Ayame couldn't help but let out gasps.
In Rikimaru's lustful frenzy, he bit into the skin of her neck, breaking it and drawing blood. Ayame gasped again, both in pleasure and pain and just wrapped her arms tighter around his neck, loving every minute of the experience. He sucked every drop of blood that she bled. To him, her blood tasted like wine; it was intoxicating.
Their actions dragged them to his bedroom where he laid Ayame down on his bed gently.
Rikimaru got on top of her and broke their kiss, "Are you sure you want to do his Ayame?"
Ayame nodded, "I've never been more certain in my life Rikimaru…"
Rikimaru only nodded, his hands shaking, his heart pounding. He continued to kiss her as he reached for her top and gently pulled it over her head. He blushed as he saw that she was wearing a black lacy brassiere. Ayame smiled and pressed herself closer to snuggle up to him. He didn't refuse and he unclasped her brassiere. Ayame moaned as Rikimaru suckled her right breast, his other hand massaging the other.
Soon the two bodies were naked. At her apparent nudity, Ayame blushed and grabbed the white blanket and attempted to cover her body when Rikimaru grasped her hand, stopping her movement. "Don't…" he breathed.
Ayame bit her bottom lip and he continued, "I want to see you…"
Ayame nodded and dropped the blanket. Rikimaru brushed it aside and against the moonlight, he marveled at her flawless form. Rikimaru drew her closer and he nibbled on her ear. At this, Ayame stroked his chest and was in awe as she saw and felt his firm chest and hard muscles.
Rikimaru kissed Ayame again and he stroked her thigh. Ayame sighed and he began to trail kisses from her lips to her collarbone. His lips again found their way to her right breast making the nipple erect. Ayame moaned as he sucked her breast and she wrapped her legs around his hips. The pressure from Ayame's legs made Rikimaru's evident erection quite painful. Rikimaru stopped his ministrations and looked deep into Ayame's eyes.
He pressed his hard manhood against her wet core. "Ayame, are you ready? This will hurt…"
She nodded and he slowly entered her. Her hands clawed him in the back as the pain settled within her. Ayame felt as if she were being torn apart. In all of her life as an assassin, she had felt pain, but this kind of pain was foreign to her, and it was unbearable.
Rikimaru grunted as he felt her barrier breaking. He gritted his teeth as he slipped within her very tight opening. Rikimaru stopped, "Are you alright? Do you want me to stop?" he asked her worriedly. Unable to speak due to the swirl of emotions going through her body, Ayame shook her head and pulled him for another hungry kiss.
Rikimaru kissed her passionately and continued his tongue's strokes within her mouth, and again, Ayame began to claw him in the back. He drew his head back to get a look at her. She bit her lower lip to stop herself from crying out. He waited a while to let her adjust to him and soon he thrust into her, each thrust harder and faster than the last.
And in each thrust, she felt pain, pain that soon began to subside, moments later. Soon, Ayame was in heaven. They had reached their climax together and were now lying in each other's arms, drenched in sweat.
"Rikimaru…" she breathed, panting. He looked at her expectantly and she said nothing more as she closed her eyes and drifted into slumber. Rikimaru gazed lovingly at her sleeping figure and whispered, "I love you…" Ayame's mind shot awake as she heard and she smiled in the darkness knowing this.
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Rikimaru lazily opened his eyes. He dreaded this morning. His mind began to wander; what if he dreamed all of it? His mind was put to rest as he felt a figure stir in his bed. Ayame lay beside him, the thin blanket covering naked body. So it wasn't a dream after all. His face descended upon hers and he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. He got up from the bed slowly as to not wake her. He bathed and got dressed.
'She's still asleep...' he thought as he reentered the bedroom. He soon left and let her sleep on.
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Ayame stirred and slowly opened her eyes. Last night was the most breath taking experience of her life. Yet, she was confused. She and Rikimaru had made love last night; he was her first. She knew that her feelings had changed. Did she love Rikimaru? Did she even like him? What about Tatsu…?
'Tatsu I…' she thought sadly. Her head felt like it was going to explode. Her vision became fuzzy and she vomited on the floor, feeling utterly disgusted with herself. Rikimaru heard the ruckus and entered the room.
His eyes widened at Ayame's pale face, "Are you alright?" He scooped her in his arms and took her to the lavatory to clean up. Ayame tried to stand on her own and gestured for him to leave. He nodded and closed the door behind him.
'Oh God…I…don't feel so well…' she thought groggily.
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Ayame went out of the lavatory a good half hour later. She looked over at the place where she vomited and noticed that it was clean. Rikimaru cleaned it up. She looked over at his bed, and noticed the crimson stain that clung to the white sheets. Ayame picked up her clothes from the floor and put them on. As she moved and stretched her limbs, she realized that the evening before had made her body incredibly sore.
She walked over to the living room where Rikimaru was meditating. She stared at him for a few seconds before he finally spoke, "You know, staring is quite rude…"
He opened his eyes to find Ayame standing by the doorway, blushing. He didn't know how to act around her anymore, much less what to say. Last night's events changed all that. They were bound now, bound by passion, desire…maybe love. She managed a quick smile and walked over to him and sat down.
"Riki? About last night…" she began. His heart began to pound in expectation, "I…don't know what happened. I guess we got carried away; I got carried away."
She was hurting him with her words, and she knew it. But, what else was she to say? In Ayame's mind, it was better to settle this here and now rather than in a critical and delicate situation, rendering one of them, if not both of them, emotional, therefore jeopardizing their mission.
Rikimaru's heart sank as her words slapped him in the face.
"So…" he began, "This is it…There's nothing else to it huh?" he asked masking his feelings.
"Y-yeah…I suppose. We can go back to the way things were…no worries there." she trembled at her own words for she knew that they were untrue. She got up to leave when his hand held hers, holding her in place.
"Ayame…wait…"
Ayame raised her eyebrows, "What is it?"
"How could you say that? Are you telling me that last night meant nothing to you? That you felt nothing?" he said, his voice rising. Ayame began to feel scared. He was squeezing her hand now, cutting off the blood's circulation.
"Riki…I…" she began, "What do you want me to say? What about you? Did you feel anything last night!" she half-yelled, her eyes widened, openly challenging him.
Rikimaru glared at her, "Of course I have! You don't know what I've felt…I love you Ayame…I always had."
Ayame stared at him in shock, "You…love me?" He nodded and her eyes got watery. With one swift move, Ayame wriggled her hand from his grasp and ran out of the house as quickly as she can.
Rikimaru could only stare as the only woman he loved, and ever will love, took more steps out of his life.
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Ayame ran; she didn't know where her feet were taking her but she didn't care. Ayame came to an abrupt stop as she collided with a person. It was a fellow ninja Kasumi. Kasumi had always been a friend to Ayame, although tension between the two was common. Kasumi wasn't of the Azuma clan but was a member of Lord Gohda's guards. Although she wasn't an official ninja, she possessed knowledge of the art of stealth as well.
"Ayame! What's happened?" asked the wide-eyed ninja.
Ayame dusted herself off and stood up to meet her friend's intent gaze, "Nothing…"
Kasumi looked at her; unconvinced, "Right. I don't really buy your lie Ayame. I may not be as good a ninja as you, but I know when my friend is hiding something from me."
Ayame glared at Kasumi, "Fine. I lied! So what? It's none of your business!"
Ayame regretted her words as she saw her friend evidently hurt, "I'm sorry Kasumi…It's not you, it's me. I've just been through a lot."
Kasumi put a hand on Ayame's shoulder, "Come on Ayame! Let's go somewhere else. People might think that we're up to no good." Kasumi chirped with much cheerfulness as she could muster.
Ayame nodded before following her to the forest nearby. After minutes of running they stopped in front of a pond.
"It's so peaceful here. Don't you think?" Kasumi beamed.
"Yes…it is." Ayame said, noticing the beauty that lay before her. The gentle flowing of the water, the soft chirping of the birds…the cool breeze that rushed past her…the gentle rustling of the leaves on the thick trees all around them…
Ayame closed her eyes for a while and contemplated on her current situation only to be disturbed by Kasumi's high-pitched voice, "Hey! Earth to Ayame!"
"Hhhmmm? What?"
"I said, do you want to talk about it?" Kasumi said putting her hands on her hips, "Well…as your friend, I'm always here for you…you know?"
Ayame smiled a tight smile, "I know…I just…let's just say that things happened that shouldn't have…you know?"
Kasumi blinked, "Ahh…like the spur of the moment kind of thing, right?"
Ayame nodded. Kasumi snickered and Ayame splashed water on her face, "What's so funny?" Kasumi wiped her face as the water hit her cheek, "Well…I was just thinking. What happened? Did you and Riki make out or something?" Ayame blushed, closing her eyes, frowning, as Kasumi burst into a fit of laughter. Realization hit Kasumi as Ayame said nothing, "Wait. That really happened?"
Ayame's face turned beet red, "Kasumi! You swear that you won't tell! Alright?" Kasumi nodded. Although Kasumi always competed with Ayame, she was trustworthy. Kasumi believed in victory that was earned, not the kind that was won with deception.
"I promise."
As Ayame explained what had happened, Kasumi listened.
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