Chapter Six - Reveal
It was the moment that changed thier relationship forever. Well, in a way. Deep inside, Aira knew that this was only Nova's gigai, that it wasn't the real him, and she would never truely know who the real him was.
But it seemed so real to her, like she was seeing the face of an angel after being alone in Heaven for what seemed like forever. It felt like she finally had something to hold onto when everything else seemed to drown her.
And Nova, he felt like he could finally breathe. He'd been hidden behind that mask for forever, never showing his face to anyone. He never really knew why, maybe because he was too shy, or maybe because he had been waiting to unmask himself to her. She was, really, the most important thing in the world to him now.
Before he meant her, he was just a Modified Soul made to track down a threat to humanity. But now he was Nova, and he was hers. He had a meaning and something to live for.
It didn't matter if every single Hollow in Hueco Mundo came crashing down on them now, because they would protect each other. And if they didn't make it, then they would leave together.
And like dove opening it's wings for the first time, he revealed himself to her.
~^.^~
Aira closed her eyes as he pulled the mask over his head. She wanted to take it all in at once, to see all she wanted to see in her lifetime in a single second.
When she felt his arm drop to his side, she opened her eyes, and gasped.
His face was just too perfect to keep hidden. She reached up and slid her fingers across his perfect jaw bone. He closed his eyes as he leaned into her touch. She traced his sensitive lips with her thumb before taking her other hand and running it through his soft red hair.
"Nova..." She whispered.
He slowly opened his eyes and looked down at her.
She only had one more thing left to see.
"I told you that you looked cute under that mask." She smirked, beaming as his face grew red.
His hand tightened on the mask but she put her hand over his, his hand then suddenly relaxed.
"Don't." She pleaded with her voice. "Please."
She looked up at him, her eyes so fluid that he took his hand off his mask and touched her face delicatly.
"Aira." He muttered.
She looked up at him through her eyelashes. "Hmm?"
He stopped breathing completely from that look. She had just looked at him like...like he looked at her. Yes, she was close right now and her voice was caring as she spoke to him but he couldn't think that...She couldn't love him, too, could she?
"What is it, Nova?" She asked, her voice worried now.
"I..." He exaled sharply. "Nevermind."
"Nova..." Her voice was questioning now. "Are you okay?"
"Yes." He nodded, looking down and away from those pale eyes.
Aira took his chin in her hand and lifted it to where she could look him in the eye. She touched his bottom lip again, his cool breath quicker on her fingers. She pushed herself closer to him, already on his lap. She wrapped her vacant arm around his neck as he grabbed her waist to keep her steady.
"What about now?" She whispered, her lips a breath away from his.
"Yes." He swallowed hard, his breathing failing him.
She smiled before leaning down to his neck, softly kissing the skin there. Nova's hands tightened on her hips as she bit carefully at the skin, earning a little moan from him.
"What about now?" She mumbled into his ear.
"I don't know." He said shakily.
"Good." She said as she lifted her head from his neck to look back into those bright blue orbs. "I need to tell you something."
He stopped breathing completly again. His hands, still on her waist, were balled into fists.
"What?" He muttered.
"Well, I was going to give you this long explaination when I got here, but that didn't work out too well." She laughed quietly to herself. "And, I...wasn't expecting this. But...I've been waiting two months to tell you."
He felt his arms shaking and internally willed them to stop. He knew his face was turning red at the moment, but he really didn't care. All he cared about were the words she spoke.
She reached up and touched his cheek softly.
"Nova, I'm in love with you." She told him. "And I know it's selfish and stupid, but I hope you love me, too."
Nova closed his eyes, his heart pounding in his chest as he tried to gain coherancy. That first sentence kept going through his mind, over and over again. He could breathe or speak, just try to get himself to stop shaking.
"Nova? Are you alright?" Aira put her hand on his neck as she tried to get him to open his eyes. "You're shaking...are you angry? I-I'm sorry. I'll-"
"No!" He cried as she tried to pull out of his grasp, but he held her in place. "Please. I...I need to tell you..."
He took a deep breath as she looked up at him with worried eyes. He was sure he looked close to insane at the moment, but he was only trying to calm himself.
"Aira..." He whispered as he finally got himself to stop shaking. "I've been in love with you since you first unzipped my mask."
She smiled at him, her hand touching his neck again.
They didn't speak, they just looked at each other. They were like love-struck teenagers, intent on never letting go of one-another.
Aira clasped her hand behind Nova's neck and pulled his face down close to hers. He thought she was going to kiss her, but her lips lingered centimeters away from his. She could feel his wintry breath on her face and she smiled at the desperate look in his eyes.
"Do you want me to kiss you, Nova?" She asked quietly.
"Yes." He answered in the most tender voice.
She touched her lips softly to his and his hands instantly went slack on her hips. And when she pulled away for only a second, he leaned forward to kiss her again, ultimately ending in him landing on top of her as they fell.
She worked her hand between thier faces and pulled his chin down a little, resulting in his mouth opening a little. She took the chance and pushed her tounge against his. He gasped as she immediantly took control.
Aira giggled against his lips as she tangled her fingers in his hair. His arms quickly regained conciousness and had his hands gripping her waist again.
Soon enough, they broke apart, out of breath and holding onto each other. Nova dropped his head to her shoulder as Aira laughed when she saw that his face was red again.
"You're too cute, Nova." She commented, kissing his forehead.
He just hid his face in her hair to hide his embarrassment.
"What are you so embarrassed about?" She asked as she stroked his hair.
He was silent, but his face grew warmer.
"Nova?" She poked him in the side and giggled when his body jerked. "That was your first kiss, wasn't it?"
Still wordless. She rolled on top of him and pulled his face out of her hair. He was biting his lip and looking away from her, even his neck red now.
"I'm taking that as a yes." She grinned down at him. "You don't have to be embarrassed, Nova. You did very well for your first time."
He ran his hand down his face as it grew three shades redder.
"Nova, you are so silly." Aira laid her head on his chest and listened to his breathing. "But that's okay. You're cute that way."
She reached up and placed her lips softly on his.
"You know what?" He spoke for the first time since before thier kiss.
"What?" She asked as she placed her hand back down on his chest.
"You still owe me that long story." He said.
Aira laughed quietly. "Trust me, it's really not that important."
"To me it is." Nova brushed her hair out of her face softly.
"Of course it is." She sighed. "Where do you want me to start?"
"The beginning." Nova said plainly.
"Well, naw, really?" She laughed. "I want one more kiss and then I'll spill my guts to you. Promise."
"You drive a hard bargain." Nova smirked as she leaned towards him.
"Why, Nova-chan, was that sarcasm I heard just now." She muttered, her lips close to his. "It seems I am curing you."
"Would you shut up and kiss me?" Nova demanded.
"God, you sound like me."
At that, Aira touched her lips to his again.
This time, he didn't need her help to open his mouth, he did it willingly. He even managed to undo the tie on her kimono without any effort.
She giggled against his lips.
"You're not ready for that yet." She told him as she retied the sash.
He looked away from her, his face still red.
She reached out and turned his head towards her again. She wrapped her legs around his torso and kissed him. She took his arms and wrapped them around her. Then she reached up and held his face in her hands, deepening the kiss even more.
When they broke apart, both thier faces were red from exaustion.
"Alright, spill." He breathed.
"Give me time to catch my breath." She laughed. "You get better and better at that every time."
He smirked at her before brushing his fingertips from her cheek to her neck and then he traced a finger down her spine, sending chills through her.
"Oh, yeah. You're gettin' good." She sighed as she leaned her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around him.
"Done catching your breath?" Nova asked.
"I don't think I ever will with you." She looked up at him and kissed his jaw. "But I'll try. So from the beginning, right?"