Juban: Underkimono

Warning for slight sexual themes

Mai

"I came for a tryst."

What? Did she hear him right? It wouldn't be surprising otherwise, considering the very loud way her heartbeat begins to throb in her ears.

When at first Masamune had partially trapped her against the wall of her room, then he makes sure to let her know the new attempt isn't going to end up as the former. Leaning an elbow beside her head, he cradles her cheek with his other hand, drawing Mai's face up to meet his.

She'd previously thought she'd heard a purr, and turns out, it'd come from her all along. "Taking things a little faster, now?"

"What can I say, I do like turning up the speed on things," His smirk widens, turning wicked and impossibly more alluring, "And you don't seem to have any troubles catching up with me so far…"

Ever so temptingly and locking her in place with his gaze only, he slowly pulls the tie on her hair loose, her long copper locks falling over her shoulders like droplets. Somehow he manages to make such a simple gesture so erotic her breath catches, muscles going taut with anticipation.

"I left Kojuro in charge of Shogetsu for tonight. I thought you'd appreciate that,"

"I'm pretty sure I still see a large, imprudent kit in front of me," Mai can't help the small banter, visibly shivering at the feeling of his index finger sliding down the column of her throat.

Is she truly ready for a 'tryst' with ancient Japan's most casual kisser, though?

Nah, he's not really serious though.

With that in mind, her former hesitation takes a turn into a more playful mood, feeling up for indulging him in a little teasing game. And so, tiptoeing just slightly and holding onto his shoulders, she drops an open-mouthed kiss on Masamune's cheekbone, right below his eyepatch. That side of his face feels a tad bit rougher to the touch, but it doesn't make him any less attractive; in fact, rather the opposite.

"Tempting, but I think I'll pass…" She breathes close to his ear, feeling more than glimpsing the way he worries his lower lip and sighs, low and deep.

"You keep saying that, kitten. It breaks my heart," Leaning back, he fakes a pout while casually tucking a loose strand behind her ear. "I was kidding, though. Actually, I have a request for you," Without further ado, Masamune properly enters her room, unfurling a large piece of blank paper on her desk—precisely in the same place when a certain letter was, mere moments ago.

The sight brings her back to the former source of her concerns, scratching the back of her head in an uneasy manner. Should she bring the Shingen Takeda subject up with Masamune? Truth be told, he doesn't truly seem like the appropriate guy to confide such delicate topic on, all the more considering Shingen is technically his enemy by proxy, given Masamune's alliance with Nobunaga.

It's probably better if I meet with this envoy first, and then decide on what to do from then on, though. Besides, tonight doesn't look like a good night to bring up something like that.

"Is something the matter?"

"Oh, no. It's just… what gorgeous handmade paper!" Mai quickly brings up an excuse, "I guess since we are in the 16th century I can't say its antique, but still!"

He quirks a brow, snorting, "Somehow that makes me feel old…"

"Haha, don't be silly. But what's it for?"

"I'd like you to draw me a picture," Masamune says simply, "Something like what I saw in your sketchbook. I want to use it as a hanging scroll."

A little confused, she tilts her head. What? He's not meaning one of my clothing designs? That's not really art, though. And come to think of it, he hasn't yet returned the dress design he'd snatched from her sketchbook. "Why would you want that from me? I can't really do calligraphy or landscapes…"

"Because I like your art. I can see the effort in it." He replies in such a straightforward, matter-of-factly way it kind of stuns her for a moment. "It's flawed in a rough, energetic way that makes it beautiful."

Is he talking about her designs or himself just then? "Um, Masamune, they're rough because they're rough sketches…"

He shrugs, "I still think they're impressive, and clearly something I haven't seen before in my life," His face softens, dropping a hand on her shoulder, "I really do appreciate the way you draw, Mai."

The genuine, easygoing smile narrowing his face touches her heart, but most of it, his complete sincerity. It's not just a vague praise, Masamune truly does mean every word he says.

"Thank you for that…" She can't help beaming at him, a nice and warm feeling settling in, "Is that all you needed from me, though?"

"Yeah. And don't worry if you mess up. I can always bring more paper,"

Plopping down on the floor beside her, Masamune's eye is bright and vivid, and her cheeks start to hurt with how hard she smiles back at him. In reality, he's the first person who'd thought of her drawings as actual art, and that mention alone makes her all the more joyful inside.

After looking down at the piece of blank paper before her, Mai summons the resolve to start. This will be my first time drawing a hanging scroll. I thought the pressure would block me, but I'm actually inspired!

Taking the closest brush and preparing some ink, first she settles for starting with a female figure, opting to figuring the rest out as she goes. It's been some time ever since she doodled anything—a little more than a month, in fact—but doing something as menial as sitting down and draw something puts her more at ease than most things in the world.

Glancing fleetingly at him from time to time, Masamune remains quiet, resting a hand behind him and slipping into a relaxed position as he watches her draw. The metallic, golden crescent moon hanging on his belt and the curved patterns of his kimono catch her eye, bringing some inspiration from his ever so present moon theme.

It gets to be so easy for her mind to prone on thoughts of him lately, but she can't truly help it. What are his favorite colors? Which patterns would suit him best? The first thing that comes to mind is that Masamune Date reminds her of a spring season—fresh, vivid, pleasantly warm and lively. The most colorful time of the year and, to some extent, the most positive in her opinion.

Struck with a nice idea, Mai continues her design in peaceful, companionable silence. "Hey, you. Still awake?" She says softly after a while.

"Mm-hm…" It's a pretty relaxed response coming from a wordy guy like him.

Lifting her brush, she gives him a good once over look, but he doesn't look sleepy at all. However, he seems to be not quite here or there, watching her undisturbed yet most likely with his mind elsewhere.

It makes her smile regardless, content to have that comfortable moment between them. "Just so you know, I'm really happy you chose me for this. It means a lot you coming to me with this request."

"Really, now?" A sort of realization dawns on his face just then, his eye widening, "Well, I'm glad." Hesitantly, Masamune gives her the sweetest smile she's so far seen in him, looking very much like a picture himself.

Man, if only I could frame that look on his face, so I could watch it every morning…

A soft, longing sigh appears to escape him, crawling closer. "I really do love seeing you smile, kitten…" Quite smoothly, he slips his arm around her, and her world suddenly shifts.

Huh? They'd moved so gently it takes her a moment to register she's on the floor and Masamune's over her. Out of the corner of her eye, Mai can see the brush rolling across the floor, ink trailing over the mat.

"Mai…" His fingers turn her face back up to his all too easily, warm breath fanning her lips. There's something so incredibly tender in the way he stares at her, as if admiring a work of art.

The sight becomes impossible to resist, tilting her head up and dusting his lips with a fleeting kiss, barely touching. His hand travels up to cradle the back of her head, holding her so carefully, so lovingly, her heart feels like about to burst.

His chestnut bangs fall loosely over his face, close enough they tickle her cheek. "Just look at me…"

I am looking at you. You're gorgeous, as always, and—

That train of thought doesn't go further than that as Masamune returns to brush his mouth against hers; softly, seeming to take his precious time into savoring the texture of her lips, thoroughly enjoying the feeling of her.

She can't remember the last time she'd been kissed like that, if ever—the sort of kiss one could only see in the movies. That perfect and blissful kind, the one that comes former to a declaration of—

Tensing, only slowly she pries herself out of the moment. "I… think there's been a misunderstanding."

Masamune's eye flutters open, looking somewhat drowsy. "You think so? On whose part?"

"Perhaps on both," Her voice comes off hoarse, and that makes him laugh, not minding as much and bringing his lips to her neck, breath hot in her ear.

When he nips at her earlobe, her treacherous body lets her know it doesn't think there's a misunderstanding at all, acting on its own accord and reflexively grinding against his thigh. His hair is incredibly soft as it brushes against the crook of her neck, prompting her to wind her hands through his locks.

Damn, damn! What are we doing?

Catching the collar of her juban in his teeth, Masamune pulls it down wolfishly, baring her skin down to her collarbone. A particular well placed nip sends her eyes rolling backwards, a groan escaping her.

You're a flirt, and this isn't going to mean anything, and we have to stop before it does. Because it's going to get worse if we don't…

"Masamune…" A hand sneaks its way up her thigh ever so teasingly. Come on, you're not 15 anymore, keep it together! "P-please, let's hold up."

To her relief, he does so right away, "For what?"

Looking up at her, Mai has a moment to think straight. "I was still in the middle of drawing your picture for one. Now there's ink all over the floor."

"Well, that's a problem." Not making a big deal about it, Masamune moves away to lay beside the futon, watching her with clear amusement.

"I mean it, though," Even when toying with a strand of her hair, instant regret courses though her, missing his passionate touch the very moment she's reprieved of it. No. no, I need to focus. "Look, I think you're mistaken about something, Masamune. You and I aren't a couple, or an item, or a 'thing'."

Those alluring fingers of his stop midway. "I… don't know what any of that means." He deadpans.

She straightens up a little. "We're not dating? We're not lovers? I mean, as nice and fun this is, I'm not quite okay with sleeping with you on the spur of the moment."

"… Who's saying anything about sleep?" What? Oh no. Oh, no, no. Cultural AND language barrier alert!

"Okay, what I mean by that is, uh, bedding me. The sleeping part comes afterwards." Mai struggles to make her point as best as she can, hoping it's enough, "And those other things? That's someone you might be 'sleeping with'."

Oddly so, Masamune keeps shooting her a confused look. "Why would you do that, though? I have my own futon if I want to rest…"

"What?" That takes her aback, not quite getting where he's going. "You're not trying to say you never—"

But just then, "… Hey, Mai, it's the middle of the night. Keep it down."

Her face goes white as a ghost. And things just got worse! It's Hideyoshi! He wouldn't barge in, would he? He'd better not!

Masamune appears very skeptical of that, however. "I think we should hide."

"You too?" Apparently, Masamune's first instinct is to grab the futon cover in a rush, bringing her with it. Clutching her close to his chest, he lies down and throws the cover over both of them.

There's no way Hideyoshi's going to fall for this!

Pressed tight against him, she can't see anything but hears the door slide open. "Mai? Did you already fall asleep?"

Dozens of unmentionable things to say cross her mind at that, putting an effort into biting the inside of her cheek to keep as quiet as possible. Masamune, I'm going to kill you AND Hideyoshi if he finds us!

An awfully tense moment goes by, and Mai looks up into his face, watching her partner in crime putting a finger against his lips—still amused to no end. Staring at him in awe, it's hard to believe how her evening went from a lonely and almost depressing one, to so many gears up as that.

Every moment with him seems to feel like a whole new exciting experience to unfold. I feel like such a kid. Honestly, though, this is fun.

Pressing herself a little closer to Masamune, she can't help giving him a conspiratorial smile. The only air around them is their breaths, making both their faces flushed. "He'll never stop lecturing if he sees us…" He mouths.

"Shut it—!" They whisper to each other, their quiet breathing heating the air even more, noses touching. And yet, every moment she spends staring into Masamune's eye—the brightest light around—the more their bodies seem to mold around one another, something more than just mere heat growing below the covers of her futon.

Hideyoshi, hurry up and go already!

After a long, tense moment, Hideyoshi sighs. "I guess she was sleeping? She makes a lot of noise in her sleep. Her breathing sounds a little labored too. Maybe I'll ask Ieyasu if there's a sleep aid for her."

Masamune purses his lips, starting to snicker. "Don't you dare—" She warns him with gritted teeth.

He shakes in her arms, trying his best to restrain himself. "I can't help it…"

"Suck it up!" An eternity later, they finally hear the door shut close and the sound of footsteps retreating back down the hall. Mai is the first to take a peek from below the covers. "Is he gone?"

A quite disheveled chestnut head makes his appearance as well. "Looks like it." As the two of them leave the futon, Masamune can't seem to hold back his laughter any longer. "Hah—hahaha!"

"Don't laugh, you'll draw him back!"

It doesn't seem easy at all for him to contain his fit now that it's started, but at least he tries to muffle it by sticking his face into her pillow, dropping unceremoniously onto his back. "You can be expecting some medicine for your labored breathing soon."

She snorts, "If it's from Ieyasu it'll probably taste really bitter!"

"Still, I'm impressed with Hideyoshi's mind. 'Mai, you're talking too loud… in your sleep!'" A small snicker escapes her at his attempt imitating his voice, "I kind of feel for his wife, to be honest…"

Soon, Mai can't hold her laughter in either, plopping down on the futon once again next to Masamune. "Wow! I can't remember the last time I did anything like that, if ever. I'm exhausted." Turning on their sides and facing each other, his gorgeous eye is full of mirth, and she's certain she must be looking the very same as him.

"Me too. All that good energy spent on nothing."

"If you hadn't started this, we wouldn't have had to hide. That'll teach you to interrupt people when they're drawing…"

He quirks a brow, "In my defense, you were smiling so cutely, I just couldn't resist," As if to make a point, he shoots her a toothy grin, not bothering to wait any longer and cradling her close once again.

To be completely honest, there's something about their undeniable chemistry that makes it somewhat hard to understand. Mai hadn't had that instant connection with anyone before, and regardless of how they're both admittedly playing around and basking in the moment, she can't deny that inescapable feeling of being drawn to Masamune.

It's as if they're bound by invisible strings. It would be silly to call it fate, yet it's hard to describe it otherwise.

Climbing down from their mirth, Masamune idly traces soothing circles on her lower back, sharing a blissful moment of peace and quiet. She sighs contentedly at his ministrations, burying her face in the crook of his neck, breathing on his masculine scent.

An endearing chuckle escapes him. "You look tired, but not tired enough to poke your cheeks, kitten."

"You endless tease…" She snaps her teeth in a mock show of threatening to bite his approaching finger, managing to crawl even further into his arms. "Want to stay the night?"

"… Is that the way in the future to propose 'sleeping together'?"

At that, it takes her a moment to register what she just said, her growing slumbering mind seeming to have made the decisions for her. Turns out, though, it's a near impossible effort to let him go back to his manor at that point, so she doesn't regret her words quite as much.

"In fact, I meant actual sleeping," That train of thought brings her back to a former comment, turning up to search into his gorgeous blue eye. "Riddle me curious, though, but why do I get the feeling you never, um, spent the night cuddling up with anyone before?"

Propping himself on his elbow, he snorts. "I think I know where you're going with that, and no, I didn't," He says, "I don't know your future time customs, but in here, only wives and concubines are there to warm up a man's bed,"

"Oh, right. But now that you mention it, how are you still single?" She can't help but wonder. "Don't get me wrong. I'm just guessing a guy like you surely must have had a lot of prospects…"

"Hah, not really." He shakes his head, "But I do appreciate the sentiment, kitten," He adds up sultrily.

"Seriously?" Maybe she's biased—Who am I kidding, I totally am—but she finds that hard to believe, "Huh, I just figured, as the head of a clan, taking a wife would be a sort of a priority to you,"

"Well, I do was set up to be wed once, with a pretty lady from a northern clan," Masamune goes on, relaxing further into her futon, "My cousin Shigezane married her sister, though, so the clan got into my fief in the end,"

"And why didn't you?" As far as she knew about, Masamune seems to be to some extent the highest figure in the northern provinces, "Wasn't a good match or something like that?"

"Quite the opposite. My bride and I were childhood friends actually," As lenient as he seems to be with talking about it, his smile doesn't look truly sincere then.

"So? May I ask what happened?"

Something in the way his gaze wavers just slightly makes her suspect there's more to it. Is it he doesn't want to allow himself having a partner? Or is it just him not looking forward to leaving another widow to mourn in the world, considering his job?

"Well, Mego died."

She breathes, eyes widening in shock. "What?" He lays that out so simply and in a straightforward manner, for a moment she can't bring herself to believe him. But he has no reason to make up a lie, "I'm… I'm so sorry, Masamune."

"What for? It's not your fault," He pats her hand in reassurance, looking painfully honest. "I wasn't the only isolated case of smallpox, back in the day. But I've been lucky to only lose an eye from it, that's for sure…"

The harsh truth from the reality they live in weighs heavily on her. Masamune speaks as if somewhat detached from the horrible fact he lost his bride, of all people. However, to some extent she comes to understand a commander and head of a clan like him must have spent his entire life getting acquainted with death. May it be due to war, a disease, or just birth, the prospect of losing a loved one must be just that inevitable for people in that era.

Perhaps that's why he goes by living life to the fullest, not missing a single moment. Oh, Masamune. And here I thought my life sucked. My troubles seem so small and pointless in comparison to all he must have gone through.

Struck with a sudden urge to just touch him, Mai reaches out and takes his hand in hers, "I wouldn't call it just luck, though. I think, above that, it was your strong will what got you through," Now aware of his admitted weakness, she puts an effort into smiling her most genuine smile, "I really like that about you…"

His face softens, taking the effect she'd been looking forward to, "Aside from my good looks, right?"

"What do you think?" Shooting him a sultry look, she opts onto changing the mood, "But you know what? Considering you just admitted you never experienced the pleasure of cuddling up, allow me to show you what you've been missing,"

"You've got my attention, kitten…"

She'd be a fool to think she's only leaning forward and kissing him for other reasons aside of an all-consuming need to do so. Truth is, she wants him as close as humanly possible, craving for the warmth of his lips like a thirsty man in the desert.

If Masamune believes it's selfish of her, he doesn't seem to mind at all, eagerly following and going down atop the futon together in a messy bundle of arms and legs. "Now, lay down, tiger," She advises after they part for breath.

Straddling him, Mai then proceeds to slowly and gently disrobe him, all the time under the scrutiny of his very intense gaze. His black cape goes off first, then the white belt holding his hakama in place, and so until he's just down to his under kimono, leaving both in a matching state of dressing.

A teasing hand snakes up her thigh, and as tempted as she is to turn things more spicy, miraculously she finds the strength to refrain herself just so, dropping at Masamune's side on the pillow. "Hey, I said just sleeping, remember?"

"Alright, alright…" Faking a pout, he seems rather more curious to see where she's getting at than anything else, his eye fluttering close as her hands thread into his locks.

Turning off the lantern, the moonlight coming from the slit of the doors to her veranda haloes Masamune's figure in breathtaking silver hues; his eye, half-lidded, still staring at her, seeming to enjoy her ministrations on his hair. Her fingers find the tie of his eyepatch, and after waiting for his explicit approval, the cloth goes off as well, dropped next to his pair of katana and rest of his clothing at the side of the futon.

Still massaging his scalp in soothing strokes, he hums contentedly. "Mmh, this is nice," He manages to use whatever strength is left in him to pull her flush against his torso, legs tangling together under the covers.

Soon, his hums turn into quiet breaths, finally falling into a slumber, leaving Mai to bask upon the adorable view. All her worries appear to not matter as much anymore then, preferring to watch over him, not minding for what may come tomorrow.

For now, the world resumes to just the two of them, cuddled in each other's arms. And she can only hope for the night to never end.

A-N: Ugh, sorry for taking more time than anticipated to come up with an update. Life's not doing well at all lately, and I'm struggling to take art commissions to survive, so most of my energies are going to pull that through.
I think I should change update days from Mondays to Thursdays lol.