As she made her way down the sidewalk between Saki and Arisa, Tohru could feel her heart hammering inside her chest. She didn't understand why she was so nervous; tonight was supposed to be something fun, not something intimidating. It was sure to be fun, in fact; she knew and trusted her friends, and knew they'd want to make sure she enjoyed herself. Kyo had talked to her about it, and he'd said he was fine with whatever they did, as long as there was no touching.
As if she'd ever want to touch anyone other than him, anyway.
But he was ok with it, and that meant she should be able to relax and have fun with everything herself. It was a party, after all. Her party. A party, for her, planned by her oldest friends. A party to celebrate her, and her upcoming wedding, with those friends and a few others just as near and dear.
When it had come to the guest list, they had kept it short and sweet. Most of Tohru's friends these days also lived up in and around Hibe, the village in northern Honshu where Tohru and Kyo lived. Many would be coming to the wedding, but they wouldn't be arriving until the next day, and neither would Machi. That had been a downside of scheduling the party on a Thursday: it meant that the guest list had to be limited to friends that were still local.
But Tohru hadn't been disappointed. While she would have liked to have all of her friends together, she'd get to see them all at the wedding, and her friends back home had already thrown her a party of their own. This way, she got a chance to celebrate with the friends who had known her the longest, who all knew each other...and hopefully wouldn't be too awkward around each other. That, and more importantly, Tohru hoped not to be too awkward around them herself!
"Alright, here we are!" Arisa said cheerfully as the three of them stopped beside the door to Ayame's shop. It felt admittedly strange to be standing there with the lights off and the sign reading 'closed,' but as Arisa rang the bell, Tohru couldn't help but feel a little thrill.
They were here for her party.
Very shortly the door was opened by Mine, wearing a particularly elaborate maid costume. "Well, if it isn't the planners and the guest of honor! Come on in, you three, and make yourself comfortable!"
The four of them headed back through the shop to one of the lounge areas, which had been set up to be party central. And Tohru smiled as she looked around, taking in the decorative garland, floral arrangements, and beautiful food display.
"The food just got here about five minutes before you did," Mine said, smiling at them. "And I figured since everyone ought to be turning up now, too, I'd just lay it out!"
"It looks perfect, Mine," Tohru said sincerely, looking at her. "All of it does, you guys did such a good job," she said, looking around at the decorations. "The flowers are all so pretty, and all the garlands are so-" She broke off, frowning slightly as she looked closer at one of the garlands, then broke into a blush as she looked at her friends. "Uo-chan!"
Arisa managed to keep a straight face. "What? You don't like the theme?"
Tohru's face as still bright red. "Those are...those are..."
"Penises?" Saki asked in her mild way, causing Tohru to darken more and just nod her head. "But of course they are, dear Tohru; this is a bachelorette party, after all, and we wanted to instill a proper spirit for the occasion."
Arisa was studying Tohru carefully. "Seriously, Tohru, is it too much? You can say, really, and we want you to. Remember, this is your night, and you can change your mind about anything, any time. Don't think just 'cause we're here now you're stuck with everything."
Tohru took a deep breath, then gave her friends a smile. "No, it's fine, really. All of it," she said, shooting a blushing glance back at the garlands. "It surprised me at first, that's all; I've never even been to a bachelorette party before, so even though we talked about it, it's still just a little...surprising," she said, giving them a sheepish smile. "But I really am excited, I promise," she said, reaching out and squeezing Arisa and Saki's hands.
Just then, the bell rang again, and Mine scurried off to answer it, leaving the three of them alone.
"Well, ok," Arisa said, smiling at her. "But I mean it, and not just 'cause none of us needs to deal with Kyon if he catches wind you're upset."
"Well, I'm not going to be upset," Tohru said resolutely. "I'm going to have fun! All of us are going to have fun," she said, looking around happily.
After a couple minutes, Mine returned with Rin in tow, and Tohru pounced her excitedly.
"Isuzu, thank you so much for coming! It's so great to see you!"
Rin returned the hug, glancing around the space as she did so. "Thanks for having me, Tohru. Believe me, I've been looking forward to this for a while," she commented, a somewhat teasing smirk appearing on her face that once again prompted Tohru to blush.
"Well, I hope you have a good time," she said, feeling a little bashful, and Rin continued to smirk as she made her way over to the food.
"I'm sure I will."
There was another ring at the bell, and Mine trotted off again, leaving Tohru to take another deep breath as she looked at Arisa, Saki, and Rin. These were all her friends. Everyone who was coming tonight was a friend. She was looking forward to this. It would be fun.
Once she got past the part where it was just awkward.
"Tohru, hi!" Kisa said, giving Tohru a hug as she walked over with Mine and Kagura. "Thank you so much for having me, I'm...excited to be here," she said, looking around with a little blush.
"Thank you for coming," Tohru said happily, hugging her back. "I know it's not ideal to be doing this on a school night-"
"No, it's fine! I made sure to do my homework right away after school, I don't have to worry about anything," Kisa said, her voice firm, and Tohru gave her an affectionate smile.
Looking at Kisa, it was almost hard to believe she was the same little girl Tohru had once known. Now she was seventeen, in her last year of high school and ready to tackle the world. Debating whether or not to invite her had been a process; on the one hand, Tohru loved Kisa, but on the other...she was still in high school, and this was a bachelorette party.
Arisa had solved the problem for Tohru. "You want her there, she'll be there and we'll make sure it's all fine with her," she'd told Tohru back in the planning stages. And true to her word, Arisa had reached out to Kisa herself to discuss the plan for the night and make sure she was ok with it.
Besides, it wasn't like anyone would have to participate in everything, not if they didn't want to.
Admittedly, Tohru was a lot less nervous about Kisa being there then Kisa's companion. "Kagura, hello! It's so nice to see you," she said, smiling at the other woman a little shyly.
Kagura returned the smile, hers just a little bit awkward. "It's nice to see you too, Tohru; and congratulations," she said, giving her a hug. "I know it's been a while since we've seen each other," an understatement, since it had been over a year, given Tohru and Kyo had skipped coming home for New Year's this year, "but I'm so happy you invited me, really."
Things had never quite stabilized between Tohru and Kagura, after Tohru told Rin about her love for Kyo and Kagura had punched her. They'd managed to get friendly...ish, but the comfortable, easy friendship they'd had before had never come back.
That was ok, though. A lot of things had changed since then, it was inevitable some friendships would, too.
When Rin had asked if Tohru was planning to invite Kagura, Tohru had initially hesitated. Would it be too awkward for both of them, having Kagura there, at something as personal as a bachelorette party? But after thinking about it, she'd decided to extend the olive branch. Whatever differences they'd had, Kagura was still her friend, and if Kagura was comfortable coming, then Tohru would be happy to have her.
Kagura and Kisa completed the little gathering, and as everyone went for the food, Tohru let out a happy little sigh. It was an admittedly small party, but she was happy about that; hopefully with these women, she could be comfortable, relax, and let her proverbial hair down.
To a point.
As they all sat down on the couches with their food, Tohru looked around with a smile. In spite of her nerves, she was genuinely excited about tonight; it had been a long time since she'd had a chance to just sit and spend time with her Sohma friends, or even Saki and Arisa, prior to this week of wedding prep. And the rest of this week had been so busy, it was nice to just be able to kick back and relax.
That busyness was on the others' minds, too.
"So, have you guys been running ragged getting everything ready this week, Tohru?" Rin asked, looking over at her curiously. "You've been in town since Saturday, right?"
"That's right," Tohru said with a nod, "and yes, we've been getting a lot done. Hana-chan and Uo-chan have been amazing help, I really couldn't have gotten half as much done without them," she said, smiling fondly at her friends. "And Mine and Ayame did such an amazing job on my clothes," she said, looking at Mine with a grateful smile. "I can't believe they're really mine!"
Mine laughed and gave Tohru a salute. "Well, we were happy to do it, Tohru, and you really do look beautiful."
Arisa sighed. "I still think it's bullshit you wouldn't let us watch you take your pictures, Tohru...though I guess I do understand," she said, giving Tohru a smile.
"Wait, you took your wedding pictures already?" Kisa asked, lowering her chopsticks. "Tohru, that's so exciting!"
Tohru was beaming from ear to ear as she nodded. "Yes, we actually just did them today," she said, and Kisa made an excited noise.
"How did they go? Were you excited? Was Kyo excited? How did he look?"
Rin gave Kisa a mildly amused look. "Seriously, Kisa? You're asking if Tohru and Kyo were excited about something to do with their wedding? Have you met either of them?"
Kisa blushed, then laughed. "Ok, I guess it's probably safe to say you were excited," she said, looking over at Tohru.
Tohru giggled as well. "Yes, we were. It was the first time I got to wear the whole shiromuku, with the wig and makeup and everything, and I really felt...like I was a bride," she said, looking down with a smile. "And even though I'd seen Kyo wearing his montsuki haori hakama back for Coming of Age Day, it felt...different today. Though he still looked incredibly handsome," she said, blushing, and they all laughed.
"Well of course he did, it's Kyo, Tohru," Kagura said, and Tohru felt a flash of anxiety as she looked over at her. But Tohru was reassured by Kagura's expression; if Kagura was in any way upset, she was a master at hiding it.
Or else, maybe...she wasn't upset. Not anymore.
"True," Tohru said, smiling down at her food. "He's always handsome, no matter what he's wearing."
"Or isn't?" Rin drawled, and Tohru promptly flushed.
"Isuzu!"
"What?" Rin asked, smirking at her. "This is a bachelorette, right? Aren't questions like that par for the course?"
Tohru was still crimson. "Well, maybe, I guess, but just...right away? Just like that?"
They all laughed, and Arisa reached over and patted Tohru's shoulder. "Hey, it's ok, Tohru. Remember, you decide what you're ok with, and we'll all be ok with that too. So if that means you wanna keep anything and everything related to that guy you're marrying under wraps, well, then that's ok."
Tohru took a deep breath, then nodded. "Thanks, Uo-chan. Though we don't have to be that...restrained," she said, looking around the group with the remains of her blush still in place. "I'm happy to...participate," she said, giggling nervously. "But I might need a little time to work up to things."
"That's ok," Rin said, taking another bite. "Foreplay is always important, after all."
Tohru almost choked on her own food, shooting a panicked glance at Kisa as she did so. But Kisa was just giggling, and Tohru wondered, not for the first time, if she herself really was up for this. She and Kyo had never talked about...private matters...with anyone beyond the two of them before, ever, and while she could be very bold with him, that boldness didn't go far beyond him.
'It's ok, ok? It's great you're thinking about me, really. But I'm not gonna freak out if you wanna...talk...with your friends. I mean it, Tohru. If you wanna talk, go ahead and talk.'
Tohru smiled, thinking about Kyo's earnest face when he'd told her to have fun tonight, and not to hold herself back on his account. He'd meant it, she knew. He'd even said he'd be ok with them watching strippers, though she'd known his relief was real when she said there wouldn't be any. He was so sweet...
Her smile widened, thinking about the way he'd looked when they were talking, his face propped up in one hand, his hair untidily falling over his forehead. They'd been sitting together on their futon in the dojo, and he'd been so close, and so handsome...
"Uh-oh, looks like we're losing Tohru," Arisa said, and Tohru snapped her mind away from Kyo with a guilty expression.
"Guess it was bound to happen, mentioning foreplay with how frustrated you two have to be at this point," Arisa continued, giving Tohru a mischievous grin, and Tohru's eyes rounded at her in shock.
"Uo-chan!"
"What?" Arisa asked innocently. "It's true, isn't it? And we're being...unrestrained? Isn't that what you said?"
Tohru was blushing again, and she was pretty sure she was going to stay pink all evening. But after a little pause, she admitted, "Well...yes."
That admission was enough to announce open season on Tohru, and the others were quick to pounce.
"Frustrated?" Rin asked, looking over at Tohru. "Don't tell me, did you guys actually decide to take a break before the wedding?"
"No!" Tohru's reply was prompt, and incredibly defensive. "We didn't decide anything, we just...it's just..." she sighed, hating to even think about their involuntarily period of celibacy. "We've both been working extra hours and extra part time jobs, saving up money for the wedding, and because of the hours and our schedules and how tired we've both been, it just...hasn't happened for a while."
She was aware of sympathetic looks from her friends, and as awkward as she felt admitting it, that sympathy felt nice.
"How long?" Mine asked, looking over at Tohru, and Tohru let out a soft sigh.
"Over two months."
Almost everyone winced at that, and Arisa shook her head.
"No wonder Kyon was so testy yesterday at the idea of you sleeping in another room. I suppose you guys made up for lost time last night though, eh?" she teased, and Tohru once again blushed.
"No, we didn't!" she said immediately. "We both agreed, nothing in the dojo-"
"Oh really? I wonder who Haru must've seen yesterday, then," Rin said, her eyes dancing, and Tohru once again turned crimson.
"Well, that was...that didn't count," she said, causing almost all the others to laugh.
"Ok, Tohru, what didn't count?" Arisa asked, leaning forward. "Spill!"
"It was just a kiss, that's all!" Tohru protested, and Rin gave her an amused look.
"From what I heard, Haru and Momiji caught you two sucking face in the kitchen with you climbing him like he was a tree. Haru also said Kyo couldn't turn away from the counter for a good ten minutes, so...must've been some kiss."
Tohru was blushing in the face of her friends' laughing looks, and she hid her face in her hands. Then she felt a cool hand on her knee, and Saki's serene voice saying, "It's only natural, dear Tohru, that you'd seek out the amorous embrace of your beloved, especially after such a long separation. I feel confident you're not alone in those feelings."
The others were nodding.
"Oh yeah," Arisa said with a chuckle. "I'm looking forward to jumping Kureno when I see him next, and we'll have only been apart for a week!"
Rin took a sip of her tea. "Seriously Tohru, I can't believe you or Kyo managed to go two months without getting some. Short of Haru being in a coma, I'm pretty sure he'd have enough energy for sex, and god knows I would."
"So on that note," Saki said, looking around the group, "Didn't you have a game to play, dear Arisa? A...getting to know one another game?"
"That's right," Arisa said, grinning as she rose to her feet. "But before we get started, any of you ladies drinking?"
Saki, Rin, Kagura, and Mine all held up their hands, while Tohru and Kisa firmly kept theirs in their laps.
"Here, Arisa, let me help you," Mine said, standing up. "And we have some punch for you two," she said, smiling at Kisa and Tohru. "Or for anyone, who might want something different!"
Soon everyone had a drink of some kind, and Arisa was grinning as she settled back into the couch. "Ok, ladies. The game is 'never have I ever,' and the rules are simple. We go around the circle," she said, gesturing at the seven of them. On your turn, you say 'never have I ever' and you say something you've never done of a...racy nature," she said, grinning. "Everyone who has done the thing takes a drink, everyone who hasn't, doesn't. If no one else drinks, then you yourself have to take a drink."
She thought for a moment, then looked around. "So this is supposed to be fun and we're celebrating a wedding, so no questions about things like cheating. But otherwise, most stuff is fair game...though remember we've got a teenager here," she said, glancing at Kisa before looking at Tohru. "Anything you wanna add, Tohru?"
Tohru took a deep breath, then shook her head. "No, I think it all sounds good!"
"Great," Arisa said, grinning. "In that case, who wants to start?"
"I will," Saki said calmly. "I'm afraid I might perhaps be a disappointment in this game, but at the same time, I shall endeavor to make things interesting." Looking around the group, Saki thought for a moment, then announced, "Never have I ever French kissed anyone."
Everyone else took a drink, even, Tohru noticed, Kisa. And Tohru found herself blushing for reasons entirely separate from her own personal feelings of embarrassment as she realized just what this game could lead to.
Arisa was up next. "Never have I ever been with more than one guy."
"At the same time, or total?" Kagura asked, and Tohru's eyes flared as she looked across the circle at Kagura.
But Arisa merely grinned. "Good one! I meant total, though."
Mine and Kagura both took drinks at that, and Tohru continued to look at Kagura in amazement. She hadn't even known Kagura was dating, let alone...
Though she had to admit that was for the best, and to her surprise, the knowledge that Kagura was dating was actually a relief.
Mine was thinking hard, then she finally laughed. "So, I appreciate you including me, really, but I think for purposes of this game it's best if I don't say anything myself. So you go ahead, Kagura," she said, smiling at the other girl, who gave her a thoughtful look in response.
Then Kagura grinned. "Never have I ever been with more than one partner at a time."
After a moment, Mine raised her glass to her lips, and the rest of the group let out an assortment of noises.
"Mine! With Aaya?"
"That's not in the rules," Mine said, eyes twinkling. "And a lady is allowed to have secrets."
Tohru was torn between incredulity and shock. How was that even...nope. Never mind, definitely not going to think about it. Instead, she stared down at her punch, waiting for Rin.
"Never have I ever had a nipple piercing," Rin said, and after no one drank she shrugged and took a drink herself. "Huh. Kinda surprised by that, actually."
Kisa was psyching herself up, and finally she blurted out "Never have I ever skinny-dipped!"
Rin, Mine, Arisa, and Saki all took drinks, Arisa cracking, "Not all together, though," as she did so.
Then it was Tohru's turn, and she was aware of eyes on her. And her blush intensified as she realized she should have taken advantage of being last to actually think about her statement...but she hadn't.
She felt impossibly awkward, wondering just what the others were thinking as she tried to come up with something. "Um...never have I ever..." never had she ever what? She didn't exactly go around looking for things not to do. "Involved food!"
Mine, Rin, Kagura, and Arisa all took drinks, everyone giving Tohru amused looks as they did so.
"I gotta admit, Tohru, I'm a little surprised," Arisa teased. "After all, you're such a good cook!"
Tohru was spared answering by Saki. "Never have I ever been intimate with a partner in a shower or bathtub."
Aside of Kisa, everyone took a drink, Tohru completely unable to meet anyone else's gaze. And it was just as well, when she heard the whooping and the mock-shocked 'Tohru!' from her friends.
"Never have I ever...made out at a train station," Arisa said after a moment, and Tohru's head snapped up.
"That's not fair, Uo-chan!"
"Oh?" Arisa said, grinning at her. "Do tell...or drink," she said, leaning forward expectantly.
Tohru was the only one who drank, and they all laughed once more.
"Really?" Tohru protested, looking around. "None of you?"
"Hey, we don't often have to separate at train stations," Rin said with a shrug. "Though if it makes you feel any better, I totally would."
Strangely enough that did make Tohru feel a little better, and she laughed. "Thank you, Isuzu."
"Any time."
"Ok," Kagura said after a moment. "Never have I ever done it more than twice in one day."
Mine, Rin, and Arisa promptly drank. Then after a moment, Tohru lifted her punch and took a quick sip, ducking her head once again.
"Good for you, Tohru," Rin said, giving her a smile. "Both of you."
Kisa was thinking hard again, her face flushed. "Never have I ever...done it outside," she said, her voice practically a squeak.
Tohru couldn't help but groan this time, and the response to that was dramatic.
"Ohh, I really wanna hear about this!" Arisa said, laughing.
"My goodness, you truly have become an adventurous soul, dear Tohru," Saki remarked.
Tohru didn't know it was possible to feel this embarrassed.
"I haven't even taken a drink yet!" she protested weakly, and they all laughed.
"But you're going to, aren't you?" Kagura asked mischievously, and after a moment Tohru did.
"And there you were talking about not doing anything where people could catch you," Arisa said, shaking her head in amusement.
"Well, we don't! Just because it was outside doesn't mean we were being exhibitionists," Tohru protested, only to flush again at the grins she got in response.
"Oh? Maybe you should tell us about it, so we can decide," Rin said, leaning back against the couch. "You two are so clueless, maybe you screwed in front of a security camera without even realizing it."
"There were no security cameras!" Tohru protested, then covered her face. Why was it so easy to bait her?
"No security cameras, eh? What was there?" Arisa asked teasingly.
"If we guess, will you tell us?" Kagura asked, and Tohru groaned.
"Sounds like a 'yes' to me," Rin said, smirking. "So...outside, with no security cameras," she said, her voice thoughtful. "Was it at my house?" she asked, straightening up. "Back when you guys still lived there? Maybe out in the woods, you guys were going for a walk, one thing led to another?"
Tohru managed to shake her head at that, but not without blushing at the very idea...though not entirely in embarrassment, either.
"At school," Arisa guessed. "I'm gonna guess lunchtime quickie on the roof; you guys were so hot for each other third year that it was practically unbelievable." And she should know; she'd tried very hard not to believe it, for a very long time.
Tohru shook her head again.
"Perhaps in your yard up in Hibe?" Saki asked, and Tohru gave her a horrified look.
"We have neighbors, Hana-chan!"
"Come on, Tohru," Arisa wheedled. "We promise we'll never breathe a word to Kyon, scout's honor."
Tohru was quiet for a moment, then looked around. "You promise?"
"We promise!" came the almost overwhelming response. And with that reassurance, Tohru took a breath.
"It was after Hatori and Mayuko's wedding reception, at that beautiful botanical garden? I wanted to explore it a little more before we went to the afterparty..."
"And you guys ended up exploring it with a vengeance," Rin said, chuckling at her. "So that's why you guys were so late!"
She hated it when Haru was right.
"On the subject of that, though...I think we should switch up games, if you guys are in agreement," Arisa said, looking around. "Twenty-one questions?"
"Ooh, great game!" Kagura said, and Rin nodded.
Kisa was a little hesitant. "If there's something I really don't want to say-"
"No one has to answer anything they don't want to," Arisa said firmly. "Doesn't matter who, doesn't matter what the question. You don't wanna answer, don't. Sound good?" she asked, looking mostly at Tohru.
Tohru nodded, squaring her jaw. "It sounds good."
"Good," Arisa said, grinning. Then she looked around. "Ok, ladies...how old were you when you first had sex?"
There were a few blushes around the group, but Mine answered promptly. "Eighteen."
"Eighteen," agreed Kagura after a moment, followed by Rin's "sixteen."
Kisa was crimson, but she answered "Sixteen," earning her a shocked look from Tohru that made Kisa squirm. "Not right away, though, and we'd been dating for over two years-"
Tohru was red herself. "Please don't think you have to defend yourself, Kisa, I promise I'm not judging! You know I'd never judge you, as long as you're being safe and you two are both communicating, and-"
"Tohru," Arisa chided in amusement, and Tohru broke off with a blush.
"Sorry, right. Um...seventeen," she said, ducking her head.
"Yet to be determined," Saki said. "Though I do remain ever hopeful for when I eventually do."
"Nineteen," Arisa said, earning her a surprised look from Tohru, too.
"Nineteen, Uo-chan?" Considering Kureno and Arisa had started dating around when Tohru and Kyo did, that surprised Tohru a bit...though it admittedly relieved her a bit as well. She'd always thought Arisa had jumped into their relationship fast, so knowing they'd waited to be physical was somewhat of a relief.
"Nineteen," Arisa repeated with a smile. "What can I say, we decided to wait."
Mine had been thinking of a question, and after a moment she smiled. "How many partners have you had?"
"Three," Kagura said promptly.
"One," Rin said, echoed almost determinedly by Kisa.
"One," Tohru said, smiling as she thought about Kyo.
"Do I myself count as my own partner?" Saki mused. "Though if not...then none."
"One," Arisa said, "though there was almost a second, back in early middle school. Good riddance, though."
"Seven," Mine said cheerfully. "Kagura?"
"What's your favorite part of your current guy's body?" Kagura asked a little thought.
"Hands," Rin said without missing a beat. "Though there are a few close contenders."
"Smile," Kisa said, smiling herself.
Tohru had to think about this one. There were so many things she loved about Kyo; his eyes, and the way they looked at her; his hair, and the way it fell over his face. His smile, whether it was that awkward little half smile, or a big bright grin. His hands, when they were holding hers...or running over her...
Tohru bit her lip, then looked up, blushing once more. "His chest," she admitted, then ducked her head at the teasing whoops. "You guys!"
"Don't worry, dear Tohru, there's nothing to be ashamed of. I'm sure we can all agree that Kyo Sohma is not lacking when it comes to aesthetic appeal," Saki said, hugging her. "And your admiration does you both credit." Looking around, she continued, "I would have to say for myself...the potential."
"Hands here, too," Arisa said. "Those Sohma guys all seems to have pretty great hands."
"They certainly do," Mine said with a laugh. "Though I think I have to say mouth, here."
Kagura was shaking her head. "Really? None of you are actually going to say 'dick?'"
Tohru and Kisa both blushed crimson, and Rin laughed.
"Hey, like I said, there's a few close contenders. And I like it, don't get me wrong, but it can't do everything hands can, so..." Rin shrugged, and Kagura laughed herself.
"Fine. Honestly, for the time being I'm going to say smile too, honestly, but I reserve the right to change my answer after I've seen more."
That got Kisa's attention. "Kagura, are you seeing someone new?"
Kagura nodded, beaming. "I am! We've been out twice now, and we're going out for a third time tomorrow. I met him at the café on campus," she said, smiling. "So far, it seems to be going well!"
"What's his name?"
"Ichiro," Kagura said. "And no, I'm not going to say anything more yet; like I said, two dates! I haven't even seen his chest yet," she said with a teasing glance at Tohru, "Let alone anything lower."
"Well, good for you, Kagura," Rin said with a nod. "Hopefully it works out."
Kagura was smiling softly. "Yes...me too." Then she shook herself. "Ok, Rin, your question!"
Rin looked around, then smiled. "What's the most orgasms you've have in one session?"
The blushes were back in spades, and Kisa gave a nervous shake of her head. "I don't think I can answer this one, I'm sorry."
"Me either," Tohru said, looking down.
"Five," Saki said, causing Tohru to snap her head back up almost at once. "Though I feel that with proper determination, six would certainly be within reach."
"Damn, Hanajima, you go for it," Arisa said approvingly, then looked at Rin. "What counts for a session?"
Rin shrugged. "I'm not picky. But I'd say one session's one period where the sole focus is sex. So if you stayed naked but stopped to make and eat some food...I'd call anything that happened after the meal a new session."
Arisa nodded. "In that case, three."
"Seven" Mine said, earning her a few startled looks. "But a session can also last a really, really long time, for us," she said, giggling.
"Two," said Kagura after thinking about it.
"Four," Rin said with a satisfied smile. "Haru's always been very diligent."
Kisa was just about to ask her question when Tohru took a breath. "Wait, I changed my mind!" She gulped, then quickly squeaked out "Five," before looking over at Kisa and attempting to look nonchalant. "Next question?"
Kisa was giving Tohru a round eyed stared. "Five?"
Tohru was blushing furiously, but she nodded. "Mmm-hmm."
"Damn," Arisa said. "I always knew Kyon always said he was gonna take care of you, but I didn't know he meant he was gonna take care of you, too!"
"Certainly an encouraging state of affairs, though," Saki said, giving Tohru a smile. "While not necessarily required for a fulfilling relationship, sexual compatibility is certainly something to strive for."
"I think we can all agree that Tohru and Kyo clearly aren't lacking on the sexual compatibility front," Rin said dryly. "Now, Kisa?"
Kisa was blushing again, but she nodded. "Um...how long were you together before you...did it...for the first time? You and your first partner," she added hurriedly, looking over at Mine and Kagura. "Or your current partner!" She added, blushing more as she looked at Mine.
All eyes were on Tohru, and she fidgeted as she looked down at her skirt. "Um, well...if we're being technical..."
"Yeah, we are," Arisa said, grinning at her. "One month? Two?"
Tohru covered her face with her hands. "Two weeks?
The room was briefly silent, then it exploded into chaos.
"Two weeks? Tohru, you and Kyo banged two weeks after you started dating?"
"Hot damn, you didn't waste any time, did you?"
"Whose idea was that, yours or his?"
"I had no idea either of you was so bold or confident. Consider me surprised, though admittedly impressed."
Tohru was blushing and just looked pointedly over at Arisa. "How long, Uo-chan?"
Arisa blinked, then laughed. "Ok, fair enough. Almost two years, here, at least before the main event." She paused, then snapped her fingers, grinning at Tohru. "Though that gives me an idea for my next one, too."
"We weren't dating," Mine said with a shrug. "Just casual fun...and it was fun," she said, grinning.
"Two months, with my first," Kagura said after a minute. "And like I said, nothing yet, with my current."
"We basically started dating by having sex," Rin said nonchalantly. "Obviously there was more to it, but...yeah, that was kind of how it started."
Kisa was blushing, but her voice was confident as she said "Two years and seven months."
"Not like you were counting or anything, Kisa?" Kagura said, giving her a teasing smile, and Kisa blushed a little darker.
"Well, there's nothing wrong with that," Tohru said firmly. "It's good to wait until you're sure and comfortable!"
"Or not wait, as the case may be," Arisa teased, looking at Tohru.
"Anyway," Tohru said a little loudly, once more earning laughter from the rest of them, "Um...who initiated, the first time you had sex?"
"Yet to be determined," Saki said. "But when it's just me, I usually am the one to ask. I've always been extremely attracted to unmistakable consent."
"Kureno," Arisa said, grinning. "But to be fair to him, I'd been suggesting it for a while."
"The first time, it was him," Mine said. "With Aaya, it was me, though."
"Him," Kagura said after a moment.
"Hmm...I'm not really sure," Rin admitted. "He asked if he could kiss me, though, so...I'm going to say him."
"Both of us," Kisa squeaked out. "We had talked about it a bunch before we did, and I'm not...totally sure who brought it up first."
"Me," Tohru said with a little smile. "And it's probably the most shell-shocked I've seen Kyo in the entire time I've known him."
Tohru's friends were staring at her again.
"Let me get this straight, Tohru; you'd just fallen off a goddamn cliff immediately after being attacked with a knife, and you'd spent two weeks in the hospital. Are these 'two weeks' you're counting literally from the day you got out of the hospital?" Arisa asked, looking at Tohru with wide eyes.
"Well, it was actually sixteen days," Tohru began, only to be cut off by more laughter.
"So after all that, you get out of the hospital and one of the first things you decide to do is jump Kyon's bones. I can decide if I'm shocked or if it all makes perfect sense," Arisa said, shaking her head. "That said, I'm glad I didn't know back then, I don't think I could've taken it."
"Alright," Saki said, drawing the group's attention back to her. "Have you ever been caught by anyone else while being intimate?"
Arisa shook her head. "Nope. Advantages of having your own place."
"Unintentionally? No," Mine said with a smile.
"Nope," agreed Kagura.
"No," Rin said. "Though some of that might be luck."
"No," Kisa said, an obviously relieved look on her face.
Tohru was about to say 'no' as well, then hesitated. "What counts as being caught, exactly?"
The grins were back.
"If you have to ask, it counts, Tohru," Kagura said, grinning. "When? By who?"
Tohru was blushing, and her eyes shot to Rin for a moment before looking away. Then Rin straightened up, grinning herself.
"Oh hell yes, that totally counts, Tohru."
"Well, he didn't see anything!" Tohru protested, "So it might not!"
"Yes, but he knew. You two were totally caught, admit it."
Tohru sighed, then looked at Saki. "Yes."
"Details, Tohru!"
"Yes! Rin knows, let the rest of us know, too?"
Tohru was blushing, but at Rin's devilish grin she strongly suspected either she needed to say something or It would be said either way. "At the beach house, during summer vacation third year? Kyo and I were...well, we had, anyway. Nothing was happening right then, we were just still in Kyo's bed and we didn't have our clothes on yet and... Hatsuharu caught us," she finished, unable to meet anyone's eyes. "He never saw me, but he saw and talked to Kyo, and..."
"And they were totally busted," Rin said with a laugh. "It was hilarious."
Kisa was staring at Tohru in shock. "At the beach house? How? When?"
"Never mind," Tohru said, blushing. "Uo-chan? Next question?"
As they went around the circle a few more times, answering questions ranging from awkward to downright wild, Tohru felt herself truly begin to relax and enjoy herself. Yes, pretty much all of the questions were embarrassing, and yes, some of the reactions she got made her want to crawl under the couch...but overall, she was having fun. A lot of fun, even.
They took a break from risqué games when the bell rang again, revealing a trio of beauticians there to do everyone's nails. And it was fun to sit and talk about the wedding, about what had been done, what was left to do, and just...everything.
But when everyone had had their nails done and the beauticians were gone, it was time to get back to the serious purpose of the evening.
"Alright, it's my turn for a game!" Mine announced brightly, drawing everyone's attention from their snacks. "This game is called 'let's dress Tohru!'"
Tohru was immediately wary. She knew that changing her clothes was always a possible risk when she was around Mine, but for it to be a game? And for everyone?
Mine caught Tohru's expression and laughed. "Not literally, of course. No, this is a hypothetical dressing game. But it'll still be fun!"
After first making everyone wash their hands, Mine led them all through the door that divided the front part of the shop from the more 'adult' section in the rear. A few of them had seen it before, but everyone was still looking around with interest (and just a little embarrassment, in the case of Tohru and Kisa) as they took in all the lingerie.
"So the way this game works," Mine said, grinning at Tohru, "Is that Tohru is going to go out and sit in the lounge again, where she'll hopefully be able to occupy herself with her phone for a while. The rest of us, meanwhile, will spend the next half hour going through here," she said, gesturing around, "as well as the area in the front of the shop with accessories, and we'll all put together the perfect 'honeymoon' ensemble for Tohru. When the half hour's up, then we'll all go back to Tohru and show her what we've come up with...and tell everyone why," Mine said, grinning. "So make sure you can talk about whatever you picked, got it?"
Everyone was smiling then, even Kisa, though Tohru was once more feeling concerned. But she obediently returned to the lounge and settled down on the couch before pulling out her phone.
Almost automatically, she pulled up Kyo's contact on her phone and smiled as she looked at the picture of the two of them, Kyo grinning as she kissed his cheek. It was really amazing, she thought, how he could look so adorable and so effortlessly attractive at the same time. She'd meant it when she'd said her favorite part of his body was probably his chest; Kyo with his shirt off had always done something to her that defied description. But she loved the rest of him too; his smile, his hair, his effortless grace. The way his tended to prop his chin up on his hands. The way those same hands felt when they touched her...
Even though she was sitting by herself, Tohru still blushed as she thought about some of the questions that had been asked, or 'never have I ever'd. That had been so incredibly embarrassing...but so admittedly exciting, at the same time.
She sighed, thinking about how long it had been since she and Kyo had done any of those things. Far, far too long, and they still had four more nights in the dojo, in Kazuma's house, surrounded by other people. And while she might have begged Kyo to take her when they were at the botanical gardens, when they were around so many other people it was a totally different story.
Still...there were only three days left before their honeymoon.
Daydreaming about that honeymoon was a delightful pastime, and before Tohru knew it her friends were all returning to the lounge, each of them toting a large gift bag.
"Ok, Tohru," Mine said, grinning at her. "Are you ready to see what we found for you?"
Tohru wasn't totally sure if she was, especially not with the way they were all grinning at her. But she nodded anyway as they all set their bags down in front of her and sat back down in their spots.
"Well, pick one, and whoever chose it can tell you why," Mine said, smiling.
Tohru nodded, reaching out and choosing one of the bags at random. Then she took a deep breath before reaching inside.
The first thing she touched was silky, and she automatically blushed. But she pulled it out anyway, revealing a short, silky petal-pink robe. It was actually very cute, and Tohru could actually see herself wearing it, all on its own. Then she reached back into the bag, pulling out what at first glance appeared to be a white nightgown. "Oh, this is-" then she froze, realizing that in the first place, it was very short; in the second, it was completely see-through, aside of the bra cups. A matching white satiny panty followed, along with a pair of white thigh-high stockings and a pair of fluffy white slippers.
"So, um..." Kisa said, blushing. "I thought that white would be a good choice, with you being a bride, and that it was sweet, but also kind of sexy? Because you and Kyo are really sweet together, but you're also..."
Both Kisa and Tohru were blushing, and Kisa struggled to finish what she was saying before giving up. "Anyway, I thought a robe and slippers would be nice in case you got cold, or wanted to cover up, or surprise him. So...that's what I picked."
Tohru was still blushing, but she was smiling and leaned over to give Kisa a hug. "Well, that's very thoughtful, Kisa, thank you!"
The next bag revealed a lacy orange plunge bra and panty set, along with a matching garter belt, textured orange thigh highs, and a pair of orange fingerless gloves.
"Kyon's always seemed like he liked you in orange, or at least the idea of it. I figured your honeymoon would be a great time for him to see you in 'his' color," Arisa said with a grin. "Stockings are fun, garter belts are fun, and gloves are fun, but fingers get in the way of feeling things, so...fingerless all the way!"
Tohru couldn't argue with the 'orange' logic, though she would never admit to her friends just what her in that color tended to do to Kyo. "Thank you so much, Uo-chan!"
The next bag had her blushing...a lot. A black lacy garment, which would be incredibly easy to see through. It had a panty-like bottom that was clearly meant to be stepped into, then a halter that went around her neck with a deeply plunging neckline that went down past her her bellybutton, and no back. With it was a short black silky robe, a pair of textured black stockings, and a pair of black heels.
"You guys look so sweet, but you're clearly into spice, too," Rin said. "And you're so damn impatient, especially Kyo, I figured a little ease of access would help you two out."
"Ease of access?" Tohru said, frowning and blushing at the same time. "You mean how low cut it is?"
Rin grinned. "Check out the crotch, Tohru."
Tohru did, only to squeak when she realized there was a hole there. "There's no...it's not closed!"
"Of course not," Mine said with a laugh. "What kind of crotchless teddy would it be if it was?"
Tohru's cheeks were burning. "So it's just...meant to be like that?"
"Like I said, Tohru," Rin drawled out, "For when you guys are impatient and don't want to wait to take it off."
Tohru's face was still flaming as she set aside the bag. "Um, well...thank you?" She couldn't quite look anyone in the eye just then, and was grateful to have another bag to open. Mostly.
This one was full of pink satin: a pink bustier laced up with pink ribbon, matching panties decorated with little bows, lacy pink thigh highs, a pink lacy garter belt, and a pair of pink heels.
"While it's true that Kyo has always had an affinity for orange, I continue to hold that pink is your color, dear Tohru," Saki said with a slight smile. "Kyo always seemed to have a particular fondness for your bosom, so I thought he'd appreciate the lacing, and you will both hopefully enjoy the textures on the stockings. As Arisa said, garter belts are fun, and as Isuzu phrased it...ease of access is a good thing, given your paramour's general lack of patience."
At that, Tohru automatically checked the panties, but these ones seemed to be whole. Seemed to be, anyway...
"If you untie those bows, Tohru, the whole crotch area comes away." Mine said with a giggle. "One of Aaya's designs, naturally."
Tohru didn't have anything to say to that, other than a squeaked out "Thank you, Hana-chan."
The next bag contained another babydoll set, this one orange, with an orange robe embroidered with white flowers and a pair of orange slippers.
"Because a honeymoon is supposed to be romantic, and there's just something very romantic about babydolls," Kagura said with a smile. "Romantic, and sexy too, but...come on."
"Well, that's certainly the point, right?" Cracked Arisa, and they all laughed, even Tohru, who was just resigned to her blush.
"I thought the robe with the flowers was cute, and like Arisa said, Kyo loves orange," Kagura said with a shrug.
"Thank you, Kagura," Tohru said, smiling at her. "I love it, and hopefully Kyo will, too."
"That's the spirit!" Mine said cheerfully, passing Tohru the last bag. "This one's from me, obviously, at this point."
The final offering was an embroidered babydoll, sheer everywhere including the cups. Detailed embroidery obscured some of the area but not all of it, and Tohru found herself blushing yet again. Still, the embroidery was gorgeous, and she easily recognized Ayame's handwork in the detail. With it were two pairs of panties, one sweet...and one that was definitely, definitely spicy, along with yet another garter belt, stockings, and white heels.
"It's nice to be able to have options, don't you think, Tohru?" Mine said, smiling at her.
Tohru set them down with a smile. "Yes, it is, Mine, thank you! This was quite the game," she said, looking around with a laugh. "Is the second part me having to figure out where it all gets put away?"
Mine laughed at that. "No, of course not! All of it's for you to take; like I said, the goal was 'the perfect honeymoon' look!"
Tohru's eyes rounded, and she looked around at all the lingerie. "Mine, I couldn't! There's too much!"
"Nonsense," Mine said, waving a hand. "What kind of bachelorette party doesn't have favors?"
"This goes beyond favors!" Tohru protested, and Mine shook her head.
"Nope! Aaya and I both agreed. And you're not done yet, either," she said, giving Tohru a playful smile. "You've got to pick out a couple outfits, yourself. After all, I doubt anyone can choose something more perfect for your honeymoon than you!"
Tohru was shaking her head, but she was laughing. "Mine-"
"In case you haven't figured it out, Tohru, Aaya and I are pretty stubborn. So either you pick out some more things for yourself...or I'll pick them out for you," Mine said, her eyes glinting. "So what'll it be?"
Tohru looked around at her amused friends, then looked at Mine, blushing.
"Could you show me where you keep those...easy access panties?"