Author's Note: Yes, there will eventually be some you-know-what scenes since this is an M-rated fic, but I suppose I'm using this fic as practice so it'll be a slow burn. Also, wow, they are only so many words I can use to describe kissing before even I get sick of them.
Day of the Matching Ceremony
Mikan Yukihara had anticipated the Matching Ceremony for years. Call her a hopeless romantic, but ever since she was a little girl, she dreamed of her future husband. She had friends galore and loving parents, and she spent her days training for her duties as the succeeding head of the House Yukihara. In her mind, a spouse fit perfectly as the last piece of her Happily Ever After.
As a noble in the Kingdom of Alice, it was her prerogative to be Matched: her spouse selected by the king and his council from all the other eligible nobility.
The Matches were determined by a number of criteria the Council considered: family lineage, parent rankings, house prestige, and overall compatibility.
Neither Mikan nor her parents had any particular preference for marriage so Mikan hadn't asked them to rank anyone. In the early days of the Matching, rankings helped vet out the unsavory people, who came from houses of nasty repute. But that was long ago. Rules were in place and the king was harsh on those who abused or cheated.
Though the Matching process took place over years, the Matching Ceremony was optional. Either nobles found themselves in love already from previous events and no longer needed the official decree of the king, they elected not to marry, or they chose to marry someone from a lesser house. A few of her friends had dropped out that way: Anna and Nonoko wound up together, Hotaru decided to pursue a higher education in lieu of marriage at the moment, and Nobara married a man from the house Serio.
However, as the niece of the king, all of her house were expected to be Matched (her own father and mother had been), as a sign of fealty to the crown, and she absolutely had no idea who she would marry!
Whoever he was, she vowed internally, she would accept him wholeheartedly; she would work to build their love, even if he was unattractive (though she hoped not) or if he had bad breath (though she hoped not) or if he didn't want a big family (though she hoped especially not!).
(As an only child, she wished her offspring to never be lonely.)
Dreamily, already bedecked in jewels and in her finest gown, she floated about and practiced her lines she had imagined since she was a child.
Extending her hand for her betrothed to kiss, shyly hiding her face behind a fan: "Oh, I didn't expect it to be you!"
Placing her hands to her mouth in surprise: "Of course, I'll marry you! What a gorgeous ring!"
A coy smile (that Mikan struggled with) and a flutter of her eyelashes as she accepted a gift: "Thank you for thinking of me."
After the ceremony, the couple would have their first private meeting, followed by seven weeks spent at the castle under the protection and guidance of the king.
Seven glorious weeks with her beloved betrothed.
Mikan shined with hopeful potential.
Lady Kaoru of House Hyuuga fluttered around her only son, smoothing down wrinkles and ensuring his robe reached the proper length. One last time, she admonished, "Now, now, Natsume, remember not to get your hopes up too high. The king might not place you with her."
Natsume straightened his sleeves until they were of equal length. "Yes, Mother, I know. But you did put in your request, right?"
"Yes, Son, I ranked her as the number one choice."
He looked at her pointedly. "The only choice."
"The only choice," she assured him. He nodded, content.
Satisfied with his presentation, she patted his cheek. "You look handsome."
With a secret smirk, he replied, "I know."
His mother was proud. "Ah, the bravado of House Hyuuga."
"In the Year of the Rabbit, under the judgement of King Kazumi the Wise and his fair Council, we announce this year's Matches, committing the youth of today to maintaining a prosperous future for the Kingdom of Alice."
Though the announcer did not say outright, it was customary to begin with the matches they found least compatible. Some argued it was to let the news sink in before having to face an unexpected betrothed, others said it was a romantic suspense, building up to an excited climax of proclaiming a couple destined to be true love.
The entire crowd nearly filled the great hall, leaving only a small circle in the front before the King, his Council, and the Announcer for the Unmatched young nobles to gather.
Frantic with nerves, Mikan turned to her parents once more, who gave her broad smiles and deep nods of approval and reassurance. Other houses had brought entire entourages, waving their sigils proudly. Since King Kazumi hailed from House Yukihara, the grand hall itself was adorned with their house colors, blood orange and earthy brown.
There were 14 Matches in total that year so Mikan had 27 potential candidates to be her betrothed. Well, more like 26 or 25, rethought Mikan, eying some of the more nasty, foul-tempered Lords and Ladies. Though they weren't exactly mean people, they were mean-spirited, and now Mikan was doubting her decision to not have her parents rank preferences all over again!
How foolishly optimistic she had been! What if she were Matched with Lord Kuonji of House Zaizen, who looked much older than 20, or Lady Luna of House Koizumi, whose insidious criticism was rumored to drain life?
Be positive, Mikan, be positive.
A fanfare called everyone's attention, and the crowd settled. Unrolling a long scroll, the announcer began.
"Of the House Yamato, Lady Emiko, betrothed to Lord Akio of House Saito. We offer congratulations."
Yes, the first Match usually provoked gossip and titters along with the courteous applause, but all were respectful enough to keep their murmurs to a low volume as the announcer continued.
"Of the House Watanabe, Lady Nadeshiko, betrothed to Lady Chiasa of House Nakamura. We offer congratulations."
She continued to clap politely for the next few, though she did not know them as well. It did not surprise Mikan to not hear her name for the first several matches; she suspected her friendliness made her compatible with many.
"Of the House Koizumi, Lady Luna, betrothed to Lord Kuonji of House Zaizen. We offer congratulations."
Trust in the system.
Lord Kuonji and Lady Luna looked pleased with their Match. More enthusiastically than courtesy warranted, Mikan clapped for the two of them, relieved neither were her Match.
However, it did surprise her when she was not announced in the next three. There were only three Matches left. She thought of her friends: Lord Koko, Lord Kitsu, Lord Yuu and Lady Sumire were still present and unaccounted for.
"Of the House Tobita, Lord Yuu, betrothed to Lord Kitsu of House Yome. We offer congratulations."
Who could her Match be?
"Of the House Shouda, Lady Sumire, betrothed to Lord Kokoroyomi of House Yome. We offer congratulations."
Happy for her friends, a confused Mikan clapped, her small hands drowned in the sound of celebration. The House Yome were a rambunctious bunch.
When their festivities died down, the buzz began anew, and Mikan could feel eyes on her: the final Match. Perhaps it was because she was related to the King? Mikan felt a hand steady her elbow, her mother sidled up next to her.
Taking a quick glance around the room, she tried to figure out who was left - when she caught sight of two red-tinted eyes, accompanied by a signature smirk, looking straight at her from across the hall. One last Unmatched youth.
Natsume Hyuuga.
Oh no.
"Of the House Yukihara, Lady Mikan, betrothed to Lord Natsume of House Hyuuga. We offer congratulations."
After the announcements, each pair retired to a parlor in the castle for their first unchaperoned meeting; in the past, some betrothals had been broken off immediately during that time.
Mikan was not a quitter. Just hours before, hadn't she said she would accept her betrothed, no matter what? In honesty, Natsume of House Hyuuga wasn't that bad; if he were, she would have asked her parents to negatively rank him.
But she had a long way to go with him.
Reassuring her parents of her acceptance of the Matching Ceremony, Mikan stomped off to their assigned room to find Natsume Hyuuga already sitting on the loveseat, looking cool and a little bit smug.
"Boundaries," she snapped fiercely. "First thing is we set boundaries between us because there will be no more of your - your rude behavior."
"If you say so," he acquiesced nonchalantly, as though he were merely agreeing to lace her boots for her. Natsume poured himself a glass of fruit nectar, a mix of apple and pomegranate.
Frazzled and reaching a fever pitch, Mikan began pacing around the room, mumbling to herself and shouting, "You will be perfectly nice, and you will not say vulgar things."
"What vulgar things?" He offered her a glass.
She glared at him and put her fists on her hips, cocking one to the side. "You know exactly what vulgar things I'm talking about."
Rethinking his offer, she accepted the glass of fruit nectar so she could wet her throat for more shouting.
"Hmm, I don't think I do. Can you give me an example? Or use it in a sentence?"
Mikan raised a finger in warning, looking much like a nagging grandmother. "That's bullying behavior right there, young man."
"What, I can't ask my beloved betrothed a question?" He rose up from the couch.
She conceded, "You can ask me any normal and appropriate question you wish, such as, "What is your favorite color, Lady Mikan?"
"What is your favorite color, Lady Mikan?"
"'Do you prefer cats or dogs?'"
"Do you prefer cats or dogs?" He saw her open her mouth, probably to berate him for imitating her, but he waved a hand before she could get a word in. "But I know all those things already. I want to get to the really deep, intimate details."
Mikan glanced at him suspiciously. "Like what?"
Natsume opened his mouth and let loose a sentence so explicit, the fire died down within Mikan, leaving her pale-faced and slack-jawed.
Grinning devilishly, he approached her and, with one finger under her chin, closed her mouth for her.
She snapped to her senses and shrieked, wanting as much distance between her and that - that - that -
"Pervert!" She was about to throw her glass at him, but still had the sense of mind not to break it. Searching for a weapon, she grabbed a candlestick off a table and flung it at him. He dodged it easily, letting it clatter loudly to the floor, as he moved towards her.
"I should have asked my parents to rank you as my last choice!" she snarled, searching for more weapons to block off his imminent advances.
"Ah, that might have mitigated how compatible the Council thought we were, but that would not have countered the fact that my parents put you as my first choice."
"Your first choice?" Mikan gaped at him. "You've been planning this from the beginning! You wanted to get me alone and - and - and steal my virtue and corrupt me with your pervertedness."
"I'll be your future husband anyway so it's only a matter of time before the Hyuuga rubs off on you."
"Not if I break our betrothal," she threatened.
His lower lip jutted out in a small pout. "Don't you want to see what I can offer you?"
"Offer me? There's nothing you can offer me except an early death." Already within minutes, Mikan wondered if she could have a heart attack with her blood pressure so high, pumped with adrenaline.
"If you wish, I can offer you many little deaths."
"What?" Natsume made no sense - another reason she shouldn't be betrothed to him!
"Relax, Mikan," he purred her name, savoring the feel of it in his mouth, "let me show you."
With the easy grace of a feline, he stalked towards her, edging her towards the wall. Mikan watched him warily.
"Show me what?"
"Show you what House Hyuuga can offer." Certain she would not run, Natsume reached for her wrist, which she gave. Keeping his eyes on her, he brought her wrist to his mouth and, making sure she was watching, he lay a feather-light kiss on the inside of her wrist, which suddenly exploded with sensitivity. She felt her entire body flush.
"S - stop that." She pulled her wrist back, cradling it as though it were injured.
"We Hyuugas have a reputation, I'm sure you've heard of it. We're sensual beings, we like to touch and kiss and…" Natsume leaned close to her ear and whispered something akin to those vulgar things that Mikan had told him not to say. He heard her swallow hard. "We read books and study technique. Why don't I show you? I'll give you one kiss."
Waiting for her answer, he curled his finger around one of her strands that fell to her collarbone, brushing over her skin lightly with each twist.
He was so close to her. She looked into his eyes, so near that she could see the varying shades of red and brown - and the sleek darkness within.
"Just one?"
"More, if you'd like, but we can start with one. After all, you'll kiss someone eventually. Why not me? I am your future husband, anyway."
Mikan thought about his offer. It made sense in a way… She was grown now….
"Scared, Mi - kan?" he drew out her name, punctuating each syllable.
"I'm not scared," she answered defensively, then squared her shoulders. "One kiss."
"Just one," he agreed.
Slowly, he moved his head towards hers, and she closed her eyes in anticipation of her first kiss. Contrary to her expectations, Natsume's lips did not find hers; instead they landed on the side of her neck, on the little hollow behind her ear, where her jaw ended.
She heard him take a small breath, and that little noise made her fingers tingle as she shivered with delight, her back arching ever slightly into his body.
And it wasn't even a kiss.
Turning her head just the slightest, Mikan gave him more space as he carefully tossed her hair back over her shoulder.
Natsume laid a series of gentle kisses up and down her neck, the wet sound as his lips left her skin causing Mikan's mind to wander to… not so appropriate things. Unconsciously, Mikan's mouth fell open as she relaxed into his touch.
Trailing upwards, he kissed her jaw, her cheek, her nose, and just above her mouth, on the corner of her lips. Mikan pursed her lips in anticipation, but he hovered right on the edge, going below her lips and around.
Either he had the world's most terrible aim or…
"You're teasing me," she realized, the embarrassment of the situation catching up to her.
"Teasing's always fun," he admitted. Mikan brought her hands to his chest to push him away as her cheeks flamed.
Natsume caught her hands, still ghosting over her lips. "Relax, Mikan."
"Just do it already!"
"Desperate now, are we?"
"You prom - Mmph!" Mikan's eyes flew open with shock, but soon they slid back closed as she lost herself in the hazy pleasure of the moment.
She never knew a mouth could feel like that, do things like that, but… Natsume's mouth slanted over hers, and the closeness excited her more than she expected.
Eventually, Mikan had to breathe, tilting her chin down and away, but Natsume chased after her lips as though he were a bloodhound on the hunt.
"Natsume," she mumbled, his name squashed between them; she was getting light-headed. Somehow he understood. He pulled back, just an inch, allowing her to gasp, before reclaiming her lips.
Except, this time, he parted his lips, pushing her mouth open. He pulled away to inhale, then smothered her lips once more, sucking her bottom lip into his mouth, then tracing the outline of both with his tongue. Pulling away, he exhaled while Mikan took the opportunity to inhale. Finally, Mikan understood the rhythm he was setting.
He was teaching her how to breathe so they'd never had to separate.
Breathing each other in.
Mikan's knees buckled, and she slipped down before Natsume caught her with an arm around her back, but he didn't stop kissing her.
Hours might have passed, but Mikan would never have noticed. Time stood still for her, entranced by Natsume's kiss.
Eventually, Natsume pulled away, and Mikan's first instinct was to follow him, leaning forward for his lips, exhaling over her wet lips. Touching foreheads, he nipped her lip one last time.
Catching her breath fully, she whispered, "I thought you said one kiss."
"Well, after the first one, you seemed to be really enjoying yourself so I figured I'd show you more."
Even Mikan had to laugh - at the sheer absurdity of the situation. She had just kissed Natsume! Or rather, he had kissed her, but there definitely was some of her doing the kissing, too.
Natsume stepped away to enjoy the sight of Mikan laughing, and Mikan hadn't realized she had wrapped her arms around his neck or that he had his hands on her arms. Natsume looked thoroughly ravished, eyes hooded with desire and red, plump lips that Mikan couldn't help staring at.
Maybe she would ask for more later…
"Look at yourself in the mirror." He tugged her over to the small oval mirror set on the shelf, and he watched her see her new self.
Mikan looked just as ravaged as he, with a different glint in her eye that matched one Natsume had often. If Mikan sought out her parents right now, would they look at her and see anything different?
"Was I good at it?" she asked, looking at how her swollen lips moved in the mirror.
"Good at what? Making me want you?" Natsume nodded, and Mikan blushed at his indirect compliment.
"Good at kissing," she clarified.
"You should ask yourself if you enjoyed it. That's what good kissing's all about."
"Yeah, I did," she shyly confessed, her fingers reaching up to touch her swollen lips caught in a smile.
"Well, I'm always available if you want some more practice." Mikan caught sight of his face, which he lowered to nuzzle her hair. Once more, she heard and felt him inhale.
Even though she knew he spoke those words in jest, hope fluttered in her heart. Turning around, she looked at Natsume, and suddenly, a hunger awoke within her. She was ravenous. "Let's practice more."
