Kazuya stared at Jun, not sure that he heard what she'd said. "What was that?"

Without answering him, she jumped off the bed and ran into the living room where she turned on the television to a random channel. The station was running live coverage of the earthquake and a newscaster's voice narrated, "…estimated 832 buildings damaged and 15 presumed dead after the level 6 earthquake hit the Satsuma region of the Kagoshima Prefecture at 2:38 yesterday afternoon. The earthquake itself was not the primary destructive force. The large boulders dislodged from the surrounding mountains were responsible for a great deal of the damage as well as the loss of lives. The local hospital, which naturally abutted one of the mountain faces, was the hardest hit and rescue teams are still searching for missing persons and survivors. This is the largest earthquake disaster to occur within the last two years and currently the government is mobilizing…"

"Papa, no," Jun whispered, falling to her knees. Dropping the remote, she buried her face in her hands and began to sob.

Not knowing what to do, Kazuya knelt by her side and held her as she wept. "Jun, I – I'm so sorry."

Clutching at his arm, she wailed as if her heart would break, repeating her father's name over and over. "It can't be! He can't be dead! Papa!" Feeling powerless to help her, Kazuya simply held her tighter to him as her grief overwhelmed her. After a full hour of crying nonstop, her body finally gave up and he carried her, exhausted back to his room. Laying her gently on the bed, he wiped her tear-streaked face with his hands and spooned her. Fatigued from crying so hard, her breath came in shaky gasps and he nuzzled her neck to try and calm her. It pained him to see her so sad and at that moment the only thing he wanted was to find a way to alleviate her sorrow. "He's gone, Kazuya," she said despondently. "What am I going to do? I'm alone now."

Hugging her to him, he replied. "You're not alone. You have me."

"I can't expect you to take care of me, Kazuya. You're only sixteen." She felt so lifeless in his arms. "Besides, you have your own life. I'd just be in the way. I can't ask you to do that."

He turned her over so that she would have to face him. "Why can't you be part of my life?"

"Wh-what do you mean?" She was still tremulous from crying.

"I know I'm not the most fun person," he began, "but why don't you come with me? We'll travel the world together. And not to brag, but I do okay making money off of fights. All you need is a passport and we can go wherever you like." Kissing her lightly on her puffy eyes, he promised, "I'll take good care of you. Really."

Looking at his sincere, loving expression, she wondered how a person could simultaneously be so incredibly sad and blindingly happy at the same time. The two contrasting emotions were too much for her and she began to weep again. "Kazuya…"

"Do I really make it sound that bad?" he asked, the hurt tone plain in his voice.

Laughing through her tears, she hugged him fiercely. "I'm not crying because it sounds bad. I'm just so happy that you really mean it. I can't even keep my feelings straight, I have so many emotions inside me right now."

"So, you'll come with me?" The hopeful smile that adorned his face was so beautiful to her.

"If you think you won't get sick of me," she whispered. All of a sudden, he was on top of her, kissing her feverishly and she couldn't help crying softly as he did, clinging to him as hard as she could.

"I know I won't," he told her, his breath feathery in her ear. Overjoyed at her acceptance of him, he hadn't realized that he'd risen to his full length until his rigid head bumped between her legs. As his cock brushed the wet opening he sharply drew his breath inwards. "Sorry," he apologized, pulling back. He groaned louder than he meant to when she grabbed his shaft.

"Make love to me, Kazuya."

"What?" He looked at her in amazement.

Pulling him closer to her, she repeated, "I want you to make love to me."

Trying to pull back, he told her, "Jun, my god, you just lost your family. I don't think that's something you want to decide on right now. I like what we're doing, and it doesn't have to go further than that. I still want you to come with me."

"Please?" The longer she kissed him the harder it was for him to see reason. "Make me yours." Her strokes became more urgent.

"Are you…sure?" It was becoming difficult to string words into a coherent sentence.

"I am."

His heartbeat was drumming so loudly in his ears he was surprised he could hear anything as she slid his helmet back and forth on her outer lips. Taking her cue, he tentatively slipped inside her an inch or so and then stopped to give her time to adjust to his size. "Are you okay?"

"Yes. Keep going."

Not wanting to hurt her, he continued to gingerly slide into her when he felt her lock her knees around his back and push him all the way in. The sudden flood of pleasure caused them both to cry out. "Jun, stop," he said shakily. "I don't want it to be over so fast." Not listening, she was working her hips against his and clung to him as her scream announced the first wave of her orgasm. Feeling her spasm around him, Kazuya couldn't hold back any longer and arched his back as he came inside her. Every nerve in his body felt like it was on fire and he came with such force that he thought he saw stars before his eyes. Apparently, Jun's experience was no less extraordinary as she raked her fingernails down his back. When he became too sensitive, he pulled out and was disconcerted by how much blood was on the bedspread. "Oh my god, did it hurt?"

Hugging him, she started crying again. "No, it was wonderful. I'm so glad you're here."

Knowing that at that moment she shed tears of happiness, Kazuya said nothing and held her until she drifted into an exhausted sleep. Smoothing her hair away from her forehead, he kissed her gently and vowed, "You're mine now. I won't let anything happen to you, I promise."

She has no part in our destiny.

"Not now," he muttered irritably. The demon was starting to annoy him with his interference.

How long will you continue to ignore me? This woman will only ultimately serve to distract you from what it is we must do.

"That's ridiculous. She has nothing to do with any of that," he shot back.

Wait and see. She will attempt to thwart our plans and drive a wedge between us. We will exist in discord so long as she influences you.

"Jun could never do anything to hurt me," Kazuya protested, looking at her sleeping face.

She will never understand what drives us. She will be your undoing if you continue to pursue this.

"I don't believe you."

Time will prove me correct. Remember, I have never led you astray, not even once. Eventually you must choose. We cannot coexist with her.

Holding her close to him, Kazuya began wishing for the first time that his demon would go away.

You do not really wish me to leave and you will see soon enough that I speak true.

"Urusai!" Doing his best to ignore the voice, Kazuya rested his head on Jun's neck and willed himself to sleep.


The next morning, Kazuya took the money that Jun's father never had the chance to use and after she had packed a few things, they both said a last goodbye to the house where she had grown up. When they reached Narita International Airport, Kazuya squeezed Jun's hand as they surveyed the departure schedules. "Where would you like to go?"

She looked at the flight information. "So many possible destinations," she said with wonder. "Where should we go?"

"Wherever you like." He kissed the back of the hand he was holding and smiled encouragingly. "Would you like to get away from Japan?"

She appreciated his thoughtfulness. Perhaps the sorrow caused by her family's death would ease in a completely different country. Being in Japan would only raise painful memories. "How about London?" she suggested.

Walking up to the ticket counter, Kazuya smiled and said, "Two tickets, British Airways, first class, next flight to London, please." He shot her a wink from over his shoulder as he paid for the tickets in cash. Handing her the boarding pass and her passport, he kissed her on the forehead and grinned, "Welcome to the first day of the rest of your life, Kazama Jun." When he saw her lip tremble, he held up both his hands and added, "And please no more crying, at least for today!" The anxious look on his face made her laugh and she held his hand as they made their way to the security area.

Before boarding the plane, Kazuya removed a small gold chain from his neck and put it around Jun's. "What's this?" She noticed a tiny locket dangling from the necklace and opened it to find a faded photo of a woman holding a baby.

"It was my mother's," Kazuya explained. "I want you to have it."

"Kazuya, no! This is all that you have left of your family." She started to take it off but was stopped by his hand on her wrist.

"You're my family now," he said softly, as he met her eyes with his. "Just keep it safe for me, if you don't want to accept it." He was dismayed when she abruptly turned her back to him. "What? What did I say?"

"You told me no more crying for today, but you keep making me cry!" she sniffed.

Kazuya burst out laughing and engulfed her in a hug. "Come on, they're boarding the first class passengers now."


urusai: shut up