Warnings: soft-core sexual content, eg. kissing, petting, fingering, cunnilingus
Chapter 25. Competence
Aimi-chan's family didn't live far, only about three miles south, Kenshin recalled. It was a relief, because while the girl was tired from her run, she had managed to walk fine on her own, albeit a bit slower than she would have wanted.
Perhaps they could have carried her, just to make haste… however, she wasn't quite young enough for that to be proper. As a child of seven or eight years, she would have started her education, and started to help out with family duties. There were certain limits to what a stranger, no matter how well-intentioned, could and should do to help her, even in a situation like this.
Her family's house was built very similarly to theirs, Kenshin couldn't help but note. Mountains shadowed its back, fields surrounding the other three sides. Only one patch still had crops growing, but the plants were ready to be harvested – a stark difference to his own half-grown, half-drowned seedlings.
We really were too late to try farming… Kenshin mused, frowning a bit. Despite the afternoon sun still being high in the sky, no one was taking advantage of the precious hours of daylight. Not one soul was outside, looking for the child who had run away…
The sickness.
Kenshin shivered, dreading the very thought of stepping inside the silent house. How bad would it be?
Hopefully not cholera… please, anything but cholera.
Before they could knock on the door, or announce their presence in any way, little Aimi-chan pushed the door open, and called out loudly, "Mama, mama! I got Kenshin-san to come! He came, he and Tomoe-san!"
"You foolish girl! You didn't!" an older woman's roughened voice all but growled, followed by heavy footsteps as Aimi-chan's mother stepped out. She was not very tall nor very old, but her hair had strands of gray and her face was etched with deep lines around her mouth and eyes. A lifetime of hard work had worn all delicacy out of her. She was a true farmer's wife, used to helping out in the fields when necessary.
And more than anything, she looked weary.
Kenshin had met her before, when they had come this way to sell medicines. Instantly he remembered why they hadn't come back again. Her eyes were hard, full of judgement and wariness. She was looking at him like he was a snake in her garden patch, or a spider in her kitchen, something unpleasant and to be rid of quickly.
What was her name, again?
Her husband was Kichirou, if he remembered right. Aimi-chan he remembered well, because she had been so curious about him earlier. Kenshin paused, searching for that one word that just might be enough to lessen her distrust a bit… Oh, yes. That's what it was. "Midori-san, your daughter told us that your family is sick?" Kenshin bowed politely, careful to keep his voice neutral. "We are here to offer our assistance."
Not straightening yet, he waited, as was custom. If she wanted to turn down their offer just out of spite, she would have to do it in the harshest way possible.
Beside him, Kenshin felt Tomoe's ki flickering with warmth and he spared her a quick glance out of the corner of his eye. She nodded at him in approval. So this was a correct choice, then? Maybe he was finally getting a hang of this kind of thing, approaching strangers and presenting matters correctly.
"It's true," the farmer's wife sighed, her pugnacious wariness bleeding out of her, leaving behind true exhaustion. "Then, I will graciously accept your offer, Himura-san, Tomoe-san."
Kenshin straightened, noting how she bowed in return. A hint less than he had? She didn't trust him yet, then. But that was fine – veiled distrust was far better than open hatred.
She stood up and stepped aside, inviting them inside her house.
It turned out that her menfolk, her husband and both of her teenage sons, were all sick with fever. It was quite worrying. Fevers stole countless lives every year, but it was nothing unexpected given the season and heavy rainfall. All three of the men had worked hard harvesting the fields, and under duress had caught cold before they had finished the last one.
Thankfully, Kenshin's medicine chest had herbs to reduce fever, and it was a common enough ailment that even he was familiar with the treatments.
So was Midori-san. She had already done her best to keep the men hydrated, feeding them broth and wiping their brows and chests with cool, wet cloth. However, she'd run out of herbs, and after three days of keeping watch over the sick, she had lost her temper when the fever had taken a bad turn that morning… so Aimi-chan had panicked, rushing to fetch him and Tomoe.
Though the situation wasn't nearly as dire as he had feared, it seemed that their help was needed – if only to keep watch while Midori-san rested. Tomoe hadn't had to work hard to convince the headstrong woman to gather a bunch of blankets and curl up in the corner to sleep. Midori-san had been on her last leg, truly.
Now, Kenshin was mixing some yarrow powder into tea. According to the medicine packets, it would help reduce fever.
Tomoe was wiping the youngest son's brow with a wet cloth, his fever still alarmingly high. He pushed a cup of tea to her, and helped her lift the boy up enough so that he could drink. Beside them, the oldest son was sleeping fitfully, but for him the worst seemed to be over.
Aimi-chan was following them around curiously. She had already helpfully informed them that the boys were named Ichirou and Noburou.
It was a given, of course, that the oldest son was named Ichirou. The name literally meant first son. Kenshin shook his head in dry amusement, turning to check on the farmer, Kichirou-san. His fever wasn't too high anymore, but he had started to develop a rather worrying cough.
There should be something to treat that, too… Kenshin frowned, going back to rummage through the medicine chest. He couldn't even tell how thankful he was that their ailments were so common, so ordinary. No matter the unpleasant smell of old sweat, the unmistakable scent of sickness lingering in the air, this he knew how to handle.
Aimi-chan followed everything he did, her eyes guileless as she peppered him with questions.
It felt somewhat strange.
Why had she glued herself to his side? Hadn't she already looked to Tomoe for comfort? Well, yeah, she had… when she had been afraid. But now that her father and brothers were getting help and the situation seemed to be under control, Aimi-chan didn't have anything to hold back her natural curiosity about his oddities.
Somehow, he didn't know why, Kenshin found himself indulging her with answers of the most meaningless nature. Yes, he was Japanese. Yes, his hair was red. Yes, it had always been red. He didn't know why, it just was. Yes, his skin and eyes were really pale and yes, he knew he looked weird. Yes, he was short… and yes, he was old enough to be an adult and yes, he was married to the pretty lady Tomoe.
It was exasperating.
But little Aimi-chan was just a child and didn't know better. It wasn't like he could get angry at her. Besides, with Tomoe's calming presence at his side, knowing that she wanted him and appreciated him as her husband, the little girl's rude prying just didn't matter. Before, yes, he would have gotten defensive. He would have gotten downright angry… but now, what did it matter if people thought him odd? He was odd, but Tomoe liked him anyway.
So patiently, Kenshin answered every question, until her well of curiosity ran dry… and the girl paused, staring at him with large, guileless eyes. "Kenshin-san, you are odd – but nice."
Kenshin raised his eyebrows in surprise.
The girl giggled at him. "You don't get mad no matter what I ask and you explain things so that I can understand them," she explained enthusiastically, reaching to hug him. "I really like you, Kenshin-san!"
Within her tight grip, he was flabbergast, totally at loss for how to react.
A tiny coughing sound came from behind him. A laugh..? Kenshin glanced at Tomoe over his shoulder, a slightly betrayed look on his face.
Aimi-chan burst into uncontrollable giggles, letting go of him to wrap her arms around her stomach. "The look... on your face," she managed to wheeze between her hilarity.
Tomoe's ki warmed up, too, her eyes softening with affection.
Kenshin scoffed and looked aside, trying to hide the heat rising on his cheeks. Curse his pale skin. It showed his embarrassment no matter what he did. Yet, no matter how awkward it was, it wasn't bad to hear them laugh. Maybe it was even a good thing? It wasn't like it hurt anyone.
Rubbing his reddened face, he huffed fondly and returned to his task.
A smile wormed its way onto his lips, too.
They spent the rest of the afternoon and evening caring for the sick, helping as best they could. It was nightfall when Midori-san woke up from her exhausted slumber. Tiredly, she set more tea to boil before saying gruffly, "You two might as well stay the night. It's too dark to travel."
There wasn't much Kenshin could say to argue with the statement. While he could have made the trip alone, it would be difficult for Tomoe. Besides, both of them were still quite worried about the boys. The youngest son's fever had yet to break.
So Midori showed them to a corner where they could sleep and gave them a few blankets. Tomoe accepted her offerings graciously. She seemed tired, truly. But as they set the blankets down, using a couple of them as a makeshift mattress, she glanced at him worriedly, inclining her head to Midori-san, who was settling down near the fire pit's waning light, keeping watch over her family… and finally, Kenshin realized that they might have a problem.
He felt tired enough to sleep, yes. But this was far from the comfortable safety of their own house. Harmless as he thought Midori-san to be, she and her family were still people sharing the same space as him. But there was no way he could decline the offer to stay any more, now could he? And what if the youngest boy's fever worsened during the night? What if Midori-san needed more help?
Kenshin tensed, the trap of social obligations and the situation starting to choke him. Forcing himself to stay calm, he drew a blanket around his shoulders and leaned his back against the solid wall.
In silence, Tomoe sat next to him, close enough to be there for him, but not touching him… nor blocking his escape routes.
He noted it all, a hint of shame twisting his gut.
She had learned to live with his issues. And while he was grateful for her acceptance, the calm way she dealt with it… none of this was normal. He wasn't normal.
But it was what it was.
Midori-san made a good attempt at ignoring them, but every now and then he caught her covert glances.
It made him wish he had his sword cradled against his shoulder, something safe for his hands to hold on to. An impossible wish, of course. For these people, he was a medicine seller, not a swordsman. Yet, it felt like something essential was missing. Tiredness tugged at his eyelids, luring him to close his eyes, but the ki presences around him, the crackling of fire, the rustle of cloth as Midori-san changed position spurred on the restlessness inside him, an itch he couldn't quite scratch.
He knew he needed to fall asleep.
It was expected of him. It was expected of every normal person after a difficult day. But how could he sleep when he felt like crawling out of his skin?
The worry that this wasn't ever going to work was brewing inside him, ready to flare up into full blown certainty, when Tomoe slipped her hand out from the cocoon of her blanket and grabbed his hand, squeezing it... slipping her fingers between his.
Her eyes were tainted with worry.
Then, slowly, she started to stroke the back of his hand with her thumb.
It was an idle motion, but for some reason, it felt comforting. Kenshin inhaled deeply, trying to ignore the noises, the flickering ki presences of the others in the house. They were simple farmers, not a threat. They were his neighbors and they owed him and Tomoe a debt of gratitude…
Tomoe was breathing steadily. She had closed her eyes and her face was relaxed, yet she continued to stroke his hand with steady motions, up and down, up and down, ever so gentle and consistent. In the waning light she looked so beautiful that something in his chest ached.
My wife, my beautiful, wonderful wife… always there by my side.
Gods, he loved her so much that it hurt.
…And her thumb continued its idle motions on his skin.
Kenshin closed his eyes, and tried to concentrate on that feeling, on her familiar, warm ki presence, her steady breathing.
She was there for him. There was no threat. And he was tired. The sounds of her breathing, the steady warmth by his side, the safety of her ki that felt like nothing less than home…
My wife.
It was almost easy to fall asleep.
The next morning, Kenshin woke up feeling disgruntled and confused. There were a lot of presences around him, there were cooking noises and mumbling talk… Where am I? Kenshin blinked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. The house looked similar, but it was decidedly not theirs. Panic flared inside him, until he felt Tomoe's familiar and comforting presence.
Then his memories aligned. Oh, so this is our neighbor's house?
Tomoe was there, holding up a boy lying on his back, helping him eat. The boy was Noburou, the family's youngest son, who had been so very sick yesterday.
However, the rest of the family was gathered around the firepit to eat, Midori-san handing a bowl of broth to her husband, Kishirou-san, and then to the oldest son, Ichirou… Huh.
"You are awake!" An enthusiastic face popped up right in front of him, smiling wildly. "Finally! I waited so looooong! Here, I helped to make breakfast for you, Kenshin-san!"
Dazedly he accepted the bowl and chopsticks she pushed into his hands, too stunned for words.
For a while he stared at the simple miso and rice, before finally starting to eat. Why am I this out of it? However, food was food, and he was hungry… Come to think of it, he and Tomoe had skipped last evening's dinner entirely, hadn't they? They had been so busy taking care of the sick, they had forgotten to even ask about the possibility of food.
Well, no wonder…
"Morning dear," Tomoe greeted him softly, kneeling by his side and whispering into his ear with a low voice. "You slept so fitfully that I thought it best to let you sleep as long as you could."
Kenshin nodded gratefully. To be perfectly truthful, he was a little amazed that he had managed to sleep at all surrounded by strangers.
It was a difficulty Tomoe certainly didn't share. Even now, not a hint of shadow ringed her eyes. No, she looked as calm and serene as always. She glanced at their neighbors, gathered to eat breakfast together, and in particular, at one enthusiastic little girl waving at them.
"We should join them," she murmured softly.
"Yes," he agreed, handing her his half empty bowl for a moment so he could slip out of his nest of blankets.
She followed his actions, shaking her head fondly before rising to her feet and heading to the fire pit. Their neighbors eagerly made room for her, even the gruff Midori-san greeting her warmly.
"Kenshin-san! Kenshin-san, come and eat! There is plenty left for you!" little Aimi-chan shouted invitingly, drawing half-amused, half-exasperated looks from her family.
"You found a new target? Sweet," the oldest son, Ichirou, scoffed, "for once you aren't bugging me, little terror."
"I'm not a terror!" the little girl denied cheerfully as she dashed over to Kenshin, grabbing his hand boldly and pulling him up to join them.
Unable to contain his smile, Kenshin huffed and allowed himself to be dragged over to join the polite company. Before he had time to think twice, he was sitting next to Tomoe and had a full bowl in his hands.
Ichirou was sitting across from him, eyeing him with slight distrust. He was a young teenager, maybe 12 or so years old – a child, still, no matter the wiriness of his shoulders and the roughness of his hands. No doubt he helped his father in the fields daily. Despite his paleness, he was in a lot better health than yesterday.
Apparently the yarrow mixture in his tea had broken his fever.
The same could be said of his father. The farmer, Kichirou-san, still had a persistent cough and he seemed weary, but he didn't seem feverish or delirious anymore. It was a relief. If he took it easy for a few days, he would definitely make it.
Only the youngest son, Noburou was still battling with the remnants of his fever, but even he was not quite as bad as he had been last night, or so Midori-san informed him with a certain softness in her gruff manner.
No, the worst was over now and the whole family seemed grateful for their help.
However, the breakfast and the tea that followed it were good for conversation and given how new Kenshin and Tomoe were to the area and how they hadn't spoken much with anyone… it didn't take much to rouse the family's curiosity. After a few rounds of idle chitchat, they finally got to the topic of farming.
"So I gather that you are new to farming, Kenshin-san?" Kichirou-san asked with a pointed look.
Kenshin felt the heat rising on his cheeks and looked aside. "Well, yes…" he murmured, "I just wanted to try it after we moved here. No matter how few plants would make it, they would be something to store for winter."
"A worthy idea, but I doubt your crops will survive." Kichirou-san smiled, a shadow of his usual jovial mood. "The rainfall was unusually heavy this year. I hurried to pull out my own, which of course got us into this pinch."
"I have tried to drain the excess water from the field, but the leaves have already browned," Kenshin explained. "I don't know what else I can do, to be perfectly truthful."
"There is not much else you can do," Kichirou rumbled. "Keep at it. Maybe it will stave off the worst of the rot, until the rains let up."
"Say, Tomoe-san…" Midori-san said, joining in the conversation, "I hear that you are newlyweds."
Tomoe nodded politely. "That's right; we were married right before moving here, at the end of summer."
"Is there cause to offer congratulations for children? I remember it didn't take us too long to have Ichirou." Midori-san smiled, a spark of mischief in her eyes.
At his side, Tomoe stiffened in surprise, her ki sharpening all of the sudden.
He too felt stunned by the question, but then again… wasn't it typical for married people to have children?
…But Tomoe and I, we haven't even thought about it, Kenshin realized, his eyes snapping wide open. It wasn't that he didn't know why. With war on the horizon, with the Ishin Shishi, the rebellion and everything else, the concept of children was so far out of the realm of possibility that it hadn't even crossed his mind.
"The times are difficult and we are yet young," Tomoe said calmly, her ki gaining a frostier shade… but her voice was sad?
He glanced up at her, caught by the idea. A family of his own, a family with her – it was a tantalizing thought, so sweet and perfect, if utterly terrifying in its wonder. That sadness of hers, there was no doubt that she yearned for a family, too. But even if they wanted to, it wasn't a possibility, not until the war was over, until the Ishin Shishi didn't need him… and how long would that take? Months? Years? An eternity?
He swallowed, something thick and bitter rising to block his throat.
It wasn't fair. It really wasn't… but it was what it was. He had almost forgotten the reality of why they were living here in the countryside, but the fact was, he was committed to the Ishin Shishi's cause. When the call came, he would have to answer, no matter how badly it broke his heart.
Tomoe looked at him with serious eyes, her sadness hidden behind her eyes, just under the surface. She too had forgotten the war and the rebellion.
An awkward silence fell.
"Kenshin-san! What does your name mean?" A bright voice cut through the veil of silence like knife through melted butter. "My name means lovely beauty." Aimi-chan grinned, her eyes guileless. Clearly, for her, a pause in adult conversation clearly meant a chance for her to introduce her own topic.
For a second Kenshin wasn't sure how to react to the question. It came out of the blue, tactless and even rude… but at the same time, Aimi-chan was so innocent and joyful that it was impossible to resist her curiosity for long. And truthfully, it would be good to talk of less serious matters. "That's good name. It suits you." He murmured after the slightest of pauses, struggling to pull on a smile. He too had liked the meanings of names when he had been young. "My name is written with sword and heart."
"Oh? That's unusual." Kichirou raised his brow. "I would have assumed it was modest truth. That's a far more common name."
"Errr…" Kenshin stammered, but didn't continue despite the obvious prompt.
Kichirou-san was right in his remark, thought. It wasn't typical to start a name, nevertheless the name of a commoner, with such a harsh word as sword. But then again, Kenshin liked his name. It was one of the last ties he had to Master, and even now it meant a lot to him…and privately, he even thought it suited him. A lot better than Shinta did, at times. He was far from the gentle soul he had been as a child. Not that he could tell any of that to these people. These days, he was supposed to be just a medicine seller.
Midori-san was frowning at him, clearly deep in thought. Had his thoughtless words roused her suspicions again?
"Aimi-chan is a nice name," Tomoe murmured, joining in the conversation. "However, I am curious why it is so different from the boys' names?"
Midori-san blinked, turning to look at her, but seeing the comment was not in criticism, she scoffed in amusement. "I let my dear husband here name the boys against my better judgement. I should have known this big lump here would choose such a ridiculous theme."
"Hey, it's a time honored tradition!" the farmer protested.
"So it is." Midori-san smiled, shaking her head, before reaching to stroke her daughter's hair. "However, when Aimi was born, I had to put my foot down and pick a sensible name for my little girl."
Which of course spurred protests from both of them, little Aimi-chan for having her hair messed up, and Kichirou vehemently arguing that it was far stranger to have an obvious hiccup in a naming theme than a girl with the name first daughter. The oldest son followed the argument with an exasperated air, like he had heard it a thousand times.
It was amusing to follow their quarreling, especially when the kids started shooting off their own remarks, stirring up the mess the best they could. In the chaos, Kenshin and Tomoe were left naturally as spectators, but it wasn't awkward at all. No, somehow, it was nice to see people who were so down to earth and just happy together.
They left their neighbors' house that afternoon, when the second son Noburou finally seemed to be on the mend. His fever had broken and he had woken up enough to eat.
Kenshin left the family a package of fever reducing yarrow mix just in case, reminding them not to take any chances. When it came to payment, Midori-san had offered money to him discreetly as they were leaving.
He declined the offer and said, "It's enough that your family will get better."
"I see." Midori-san nodded thoughtfully, "Then you have my gratitude, Himura-san." She grimaced, and slipped her light coin purse back into her sleeve. "The year has been difficult. I suspect that won't change for quite some time."
"That's true," he murmured, glancing at Tomoe. She was following Aimi-chan, who was showing her something in the yard, a distinct warmth in her ki.
"Aimi-chan could use an example of proper behavior for a young lady," Midori-san remarked after a while.
"Tomoe likes children." Kenshin noted in answer, an idea resurfacing from the back of his mind. He paused, wetting his lips. "You could send the kids to our place when you want peace and quiet. It would be no trouble for us to look after them."
Midori-san raised her brow, looking him once over. "I think we could do that. Thank you, Kenshin-san."
Midori-san was good on her word and sent all three of her children to their house only a week later. The boys had almost completely recovered, and after having been confided indoors for days, were energetic to the point of driving each other crazy from boredom. For them, a visit to a new place was an enticing prospect, despite the fact that their usual rougher play was forbidden. Likewise, Aimi-chan was enthusiastic about the visit and glued herself to Tomoe's side immediately, peppering her with questions.
While Tomoe kept the children company, Kenshin tried to spend the time by chopping wood and doing other miscellaneous chores in the yard. The keyword being tried – because as soon as Aimi-chan managed to steal Tomoe's attention, the boys wandered over to pester him. He didn't know how it happened, but somehow in mere moments he was pulled in to play a few of the more common games with them.
The games were nothing too difficult or too taxing, just simple games children tended to play together that tested memory, wit and balance – and more than a few of them were familiar to the point of recognition from his own childhood, what felt like a lifetime ago.
Tomoe had been unanimously chosen as the scorekeeper, and she had accepted the role with a warm look entering her eyes.
The hours ran like the wind and before Kenshin knew it, the kids declared that he was fun company. It was utterly mind-boggling. As a child, no one but his own brothers had ever been willing to play with him and as a student of Hiten Mitsurugi there had been no games at all… The kids laughed at his surprise, promising that they would definitely return as soon as they got permission again.
All together, the day had been a success, in more ways than one. For the kids, for Tomoe, and even for him, no matter how strange it had been to be invited to play.
Now though, the sun had set and they were alone, engaging in a somewhat different game – his favorite past time, trying to find new ways to pleasure his wife. Kenshin smiled, taking in the sheer beauty of his wife as she lay on the bedding, naked as the day she was born. A sheen of sweat covered her skin as she breathed deeply, her gaze half-lidded in post-orgasmic bliss.
Her nipples stood up pert, red and glistening with his saliva. He sat beside her, still dressed in his indoor yukata, simply admiring her.
She was so beautiful like this.
His left hand was slick with her juices, and in idle curiosity he lifted it to his face and sniffed at it. He didn't know why, but the scent wasn't unpleasant at all. It was odd, slightly musky… but not in any way repulsive. Almost compelled by his curiosity, he licked his fingers, tasting it.
It was still odd. The texture was slippery, but it wasn't bad, not at all. Continuing to lick his fingers clean, he looked at her consideringly. Her breasts were so sensitive and she seemed to really like it when he suckled on them. In fact, she had said something to that effect, hadn't she? That it felt good to feel his tongue against her skin?
And her center was even more sensitive than her breasts, so what if…?
"Kenshin, what are you doing?"
Huh? Kenshin blinked in surprise.
She had sat up, propping herself up on her arms, and she was looking at him curiously, a hint of a scandalized blush on her cheeks as she stared at his fingers.
"Uh…" He slipped his hand away, hiding his fingers within his sleeve in embarrassment. None of the men at the inn had bragged about doing anything like that, so maybe it was somewhat of a dirty idea, but… "Errr, I'd like to try something," he managed to say.
There was a hint of a frown between her brows as she stared at him and he hurried to explain. "You taste good…so, maybe, I could lick you? Down there?
"Kenshin…" She hesitated. "I, I… don't know."
"Let me try," he insisted, feeling a bit more confident. "I'll be careful. I promise."
He truly wanted to try this. If it worked, she would feel good, he was absolutely sure of it. While he had gotten quite good at playing with her breasts and pumping at her cavern with his fingers, there was only so much he could do like that.
He wanted her to feel good; it was as simple as that.
Maybe she could see some of the determination in his eyes, because after some hesitation, she gave him a single nod and spread her legs apart invitingly.
He grinned at her show of trust, settling to lie between her legs. Her thighs were so smooth, her skin pale and silky under his fingertips, and between her legs lay a dark nest of curls. He bit his lip in consideration, before reaching to spread her folds open carefully with his fingers and then leaned down to lick the glistening wetness on her swollen, pink skin. Her musk was heavy, almost tangy on his tongue… The headiness of the scent went straight into his bloodstream.
"Uhh…"
Just a lick and she is already vocal? Definitely a good idea, Kenshin decided on the spot.
He knew from earlier experience that while her cavern was sensitive, it was the raised folds over it that got the best responses out of her. He had never seen them before, but he had stroked them many times. Maybe it was safest to start there? Besides, he wasn't all that sure what exactly he could do to her cavern with his tongue…. but licking her folds? That he could definitely do. Somewhat tentatively, he leaned to lick her again, starting to work at it slowly, carefully, long and steady licks over her sensitive skin.
Her moans and gasps were good indicators which strokes were good and which weren't, he noted with certain delight. The taste of her juices was really growing on him. True, at first the taste had been odd, but hearing her pleasure… oh yes, he liked this idea.
"Oh… mmhn… nnnh…"
She too was getting used to the sensation, judging by the way her voice got lower, more relaxed in her pleasure. Her thighs quivered against his shoulders enticingly.
So maybe, I could dare to…? Kenshin paused, concentrating. The center of her folds, it was a spot so sensitive that she always gasped when he touched it. Carefully, he licked it, teasing it a bit… before drawing breath and suckling on it.
"Kenshin!" she yelled, her voice almost breathless in surprise as she tensed, digging her fingers deep into the bedding, arching her back upwards. Immediately he pulled back, raising his gaze to look at her.
Her eyes were wide, almost wild… and she was panting like never before. Her cheeks were flushed prettily with life.
She gulped for breath, before demanding, "Do it again."
He grinned, and obliged. It didn't take all that long for him to begin wondering about her cavern, though. As nice as the responses to his licking and suckling her folds were, it wasn't quite what he was hoping for. He shifted his weight to his left side and traced her opening with his fingers.
Slowly, he pressed one finger in.
It looked quite nice as it sank in her, he noted with a certain thrill. It was so warm and wet, her flesh so pliable against his skin and her juices were just pooling out. What would it look like if he pressed something thicker in her...?
Her moans made her agreement with this new idea pretty clear. Gently he started to push his finger in and out, in and out of her heat, getting used to the motion before returning to licking her folds.
"Kenshin… more," she pleaded as she writhed on the mattress, her thighs trembling against his shoulders. The liquid fire was finally flowing in her veins, bringing with it the terrible urgency, the need for release. He had wondered. Usually she was faster than this, but then again, she had already come once, right before this whim of his.
Concentrating, he slipped another finger inside her, curling his fingers just so, the exact way he knew she liked.
"Oh, yes... just like that," she groaned low.
Her panting deepened and she arched her back again, clenching her fingers tightly on the bedding, seeking something to anchor her. She was definitely close. Sweat was shining on her skin. Time to bring her over the edge, he decided, and suckled hard on her clit, pumping his fingers in her cavern fast and hard.
"Ughnhhh." She trembled all over, so tense, like a string drawn to its snapping point… and then, "Kenshiiiiiin!" she wailed, her juices flooding on his tongue like a wave of sweet nectar.
Wheezing desperately, she relaxed… utterly spent.
Slipping his fingers out, he gave one last lick to her folds before sitting up. He couldn't help looking at her in admiration, this feeling of pride swelling inside him. He could do this forever and ever, he mused, no matter how numb his jaw felt right now. Idly, he wiped his face clean from her juices with his sleeve.
She was so perfect, so beautiful, so kind… she obliged his curiosities and tactfully ignored his faults and constant failures. He sighed. He was truly blessed to have a wife like her.
The heat of the moment had caught him, as well, bringing sweat to his skin and a terrible ache to his loins. He didn't mind the painful pressure, not really. No matter how uncomfortable it felt, it was better just to ignore the ache while he worked to pleasure her. Ensuring her happiness was the best thing he had ever felt. It let him ignore his shortcomings, the knowledge that a good husband should be able to have sex with her, to please her just like most men could.
Like he… just couldn't.
Even if he did sometimes wonder about the possibility, what it would feel like to slip inside her, to feel her warmth pulsing around him…
Kenshin sighed.
It would be useless endeavor.
The moment her fingers even brushed over his crotch, he was close to coming. How could he ever bring her over the edge when he couldn't keep it up for even a minute or two? He was odd, weird, and a failure. So instead of hopelessly wondering, it was better like this. With his mouth and fingers, he could please her and it was good, for them both. And he loved seeing her like this…
Kenshin glanced at her, but she wasn't panting anymore. Instead, there was a hint of a frown on her brow.
Uh oh…
"What is it?" he asked, somewhat worried. She had been pleased with him earlier, so why was she frowning? What had he done wrong now?
"Kenshin, come lie with me," she invited, patting the spot next to her.
Errr, well… I can do that. Hesitantly, he climbed over her legs and lay on his side next to her, propping his head up with his arm.
She turned to her side as well, facing him.
Her ki felt warm, but there was obvious concern in her eyes. Slowly, as non-threateningly as possibly, she raised her hand and traced his cheek.
He closed his eyes, enjoying the sensation. He was getting better at enjoying her touch, the growing closeness between them. But still, why did she look so troubled? He had thought he had done well – she had seemed to like it.
He had liked it, too.
"I love the care you bestow upon me," she whispered finally. Her eyes were dark like a starry sky, soft and loving. But why was there that frown between her brows? "But I feel selfish for enjoying it so, like a bad wife."
…What? His eyes flew open in surprise. "But, but… you are so perfect? How could you feel selfish?"
The corners of her mouth tugged up a bit. "Because I get so much enjoyment from these moments, but you almost never come."
That didn't make much sense – at all. "But I like making you come." He hurried to explain, to nip this doubt of hers in the bud as soon as possible. "I feel good just watching you. I like to please you. I truly do!" he added almost desperately. She shouldn't feel selfish, like she was a bad wife when she was anything but!
And, and… he really didn't want to face his failures again. Not again. Not like that, like he was just a little kid in a man's skin. No, this subject was definitely too embarrassing for words. He looked aside, hiding from her gaze even as his ears burned.
"Kenshin, I know you like pleasuring me. It's obvious how much you like it. And I like it too, but…"
"But..?" He risked a quick glance. The damnable frown was still there!
Slowly, she trailed her hand down his jaw, moving it lower, trailing his arm, his side...all the way until her hand found his groin. Purposefully, but ever so gently, she pressed her palm against his hardness. There were layers of cloth between her touch and yet, it felt like a crawling need to move, to do something, anything, flared in him, thrumming inside his bones and skin and veins.
"Ugh," he grunted, bracing himself against the incoming wave.
Her caress turned softer, almost teasing, and a liquid fire rose in his veins.
No, no… Kenshin squeezed his eyes shut, but the need to escape was stronger. Tense as a springboard, he backed out of her touch, gulping for air. The feeling of betrayal was bitter salt on his tongue. "Don't do that," he whispered harshly.
Her eyes were serious, but her ki was warm and steady. She tilted her head to the side and asked calmly, like it was an entirely reasonable thing to ask, "Why not? Why can't I make you feel good too?"
And maybe it was, but, but… he just…
He couldn't look at her, not for this. He loved her, trusted her, but he also wanted to be a proper husband, a man she could be proud of. He wanted to please her, to do anything and everything he could for her, but the fact was… "I am such a failure." He admitted in a low voice, feeling worse about himself than he had in months.
"How so?" she asked, still calm and collected, like they were talking about the weather.
"I, I… I, ah – all men should be able to stay hard, to please their women like that. To have sex, I mean. But, but... I know I can't. If we did that, I would come so fast and it would be a horrible mess and then it would be over and I would embarrass myself and disappoint you and I can't even bring you over the edge like that. I know I can't," he babbled, trying to explain, to make her see why it just wasn't possible.
"Are you sure all men can? How can you know?" she asked, almost curiously?
He stole a glance at her. She didn't look disappointed. No, instead it was like… she was perplexed? Like she truly didn't know this.
"Uh…" When had he come to this certainty, if she didn't know it? Kenshin crinkled his brow, rubbing the area between his brows idly, trying to remember. "It's just… people have always said so. When I was in the Kiheitai, the other soldiers spoke over the campfire about stuff like that. The samurai at Okami-san's inn, after they came back from Shimabara, were even worse. Iizuka-san, too. Even Master, when he teased me."
"So, every man says so, thus it must be true?"
Why is her tone so dry? Kenshin paused, staggered to see such skepticism on her face. "Errr, yes," he murmured hesitantly. Wasn't it so? Why would all those men be lying to each other? They hadn't known he was listening…
Her tone remained dry as she observed calmly, "Listening to women talk, it seems that all men are pigs. None of them can bring any pleasure to their wives. So, a proper wife should just lie on her back and let a man do whatever he wants as long as it last. When he is done, a dutiful wife will let him sleep and will finish the job herself."
Eyes wide in disbelief, Kenshin lips parted, protests ready on his tongue. That, that… "That doesn't make any sense!"
Her gaze softened, and the corners of her lips rose, just barely enough to resemble – a grin?
"Doesn't it?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
The realization dawned, sudden as lightning coming down out of a clear sky as he compared both versions of the story, and then relief flooded in him; he wasn't abnormal or a failure. It wasn't about him. It could even be common. The insane feeling was so overwhelming that uncontrolled laughter sprung free from his lips. He covered his eyes with his hands, as he curled up, laughing wildly in sheer relief.
Oh gods, all this time…
All this panic and stress, all these fears… over a thing that could be perfectly normal? What had Master said to him when he was young? You think too much, but don't think enough to ask? It seemed so very fitting, right at this moment.
I truly am an idiot.
It took a while to calm down, to breathe normally and master his hysterical and utterly undignified giggling. When he finally managed it, he saw her looking at him fondly.
"I love you, you silly husband of mine."
He smiled at her in relief. It felt really good to hear those words from her, to hear it out loud that she loved him, too. That their feelings were mutual.
They loved each other; it was as simple as that.
She patted the spot next to her.
And this time... this time he didn't hesitate, moving to her side and kissing her.
Her fingers trailed across his cheek before she slipped them into his hair, pulling him closer and kissing him in return.
Betaed by Animaniacal-laughter in 08.04.2016.
