Hello eveyone!
As I have explained in the previous chapter I've been terribly busy and I hadn't been able to update until now. I know it's not much of an excuse, so I apologize again for the long absence. Even with me gone, I want to thank all the support I kept reciving from all of you and with the readers that stuck with the story. Thanks and I only can hope that this chapter makes amends for me being gone for so long.
Chapter 14:
The morning light entered the warm room. The white sheets covered Shiori's naked body. She shifted softly on the bed and opened her eyes slightly. The bed was empty. Still half asleep she extended the hand towards his side of the bed and felt it was cold. She stayed like that a few seconds before closing her eyes again and turning around to face the window. It was then when she noticed the familiar silhouette by the window, watching her. He smiled amused at the shocked look on her face. Unconsciously she brought the sheets closer to her chest.
''How long have you been standing there?'' She asked quietly.
''Enough'' He replied, making Shiori blush. Then he walked towards the bed and leaned down to kiss Shiori's lips. Not without glancing into her eyes before moving away from the bed. Shiori felt a strange warmth building up her stomach, mixed with an unsettling feeling. The same she always had when he looked into her eyes liked that. She ignored it. He sat on the bed, at certain distance from her. He was close, but their bodies weren't touching.
''You were mumbling something in your sleep'' He said then. Shiori gazed at him reluctantly as she adopted a sitting position, still holding the sheets tight against her.
''Was I?'' She replied surprised and curiously. She didn't remember dreaming of anything nor did she know she talked in her sleep. He then started to lean forward, the hunger returning to his eyes, breaking the invisible barrier between them. Shiori fidgeted slightly, but didn't move. She couldn't have even if she had wanted to. She stayed still, locked into his gaze. Then he stopped at mere inches, their noses almost touching. She could feel his cold breath on her skin.
''If you want to keep a secret, you must also hide it from yourself'' He whispered then. And with that he leaned back with an unreadable smile on his face.
She watched him stand up with his smirk and felt at a loss of words. What was that supposed to mean?
Makishima then walked quietly to the wardrobe in the room and grabbed a pile of clothes that he placed at the end of the bed.
''You may want to get dressed, I don't think your actual dress code is very appropriate for the place we are going'' He said teasingly. Shiori looked down at the clothes. There was a simple white shirt, black pants and between them Shiori saw the white underwear. Her first reaction was to blush, but then a thought clicked inside her head.
''You just keep lingerie in your closet?''
''Only when I expect guests'' He replied.
''You must be one hell of a host'' Shiori mumbled between her teeth diverting her gaze from him with a faint blush on her cheeks. He raised his chin, unable to hear her comment. Then he tilt his head and let his eyes wander on her figure, covered only in a thin white sheet. He appreciated her colored cheeks and her pale shoulders. His smuggling smile returned when he saw the marks he left on her collarbone and neck. She probably didn't realized yet they were there.
''I believe white will suit you just fine'' He added with a smirk. ''I'll go finish the preparations for our departure'' and with that he exited the room.
Only then Shiori's hands stopped holding the sheets so tightly against her. She relaxed little by little, at the same time that she felt the strange warmth fade away.
Eventually she got out of the bed. She stared at the rumpled bed-sheets before grabbing the clothes and walking into the bathroom. It was then when she saw her reflection on the mirror for the first time that morning. Her cheeks were tinted with a light pink, her lips red and slightly swollen. Her messy hair fell down her shoulders, trying to cover the hickeys and bite marks that covered her pale skin. She let out a small sigh, as she brought a hand to her neck. There was a small tiny part of her that still questioned the integrity of her actions and whether she was doing what she should be doing; asking herself if she had gone mad, if she should let herself enjoy the other's company and intimacy. But for some reason she didn't feel the same remorse as the destructive one she felt last time she had woken up marked and alone. Though this time she didn't wake up alone, not exactly. She wondered again, what must it had been what she was mumbling in her sleep. She just hope it wasn't something compromising, too personal or just plainly stupid.
She unconsciously nibbled at her lip. Shiori decided to leave those thoughts apart and got into the shower. The warm water fell on her skin and she started to brush off the smell of sex and his smell, which was way more intoxicating.
Once she got out she dried her body quickly and put on the clothes. It didn't surprise her how well they fit.
She exited the room and went downstairs, looking for Makishima. She suddenly started to feel nervous.
''Shiori'' He surprised her from behind. She turned around. He looked at her and read the anxiousness in her eyes, but said nothing about it. Instead he looked at her clothes and smiled. ''As I thought, white does suit you''
She titled her head and looked down. White was often associated with pureness, so was it really appropriated to use white to describe her? Now that she had been to hell and back?
She felt an increasing pressure and anxiousness building up inside her and not knowing what was causing it made the feeling more powerful. She looked up and saw his face. Their eyes met. He didn't wear his amusing smile or a smirk. He was just staring at her with seriousness, probably trying to get inside her head.
''It also suits you'' Shiori said then. ''You wear it so well'' She added. He stared at her for a while before his smile returned to his lips.
''It couldn't be any other way'' He said before walking towards the living-room table, where there were a few papers. She followed and stopped next to him, gazing down.. The first thing that caught her attention was the map. She frowned.
''We are going underground?'' Shiori asked.
''It's where the hunt will take place'' He stated.
''The hunt?''
''Do you remember the files I showed you yesterday?'' Shiori nodded quietly. ''I have taken an interest in one of those dogs and I want to see his true colors when put under pressure, that's why I orchestrated a little game to reveal it to him''
''Since when it is just a little game to you?'' Shiori asked warily. ''What are your true intentions, Makishima?''
He seemed pleased.
''I want to light the fuse inside him'' He replied them. ''See the worth of his soul''
''By making yourself visible to Sybil?'' Shiori asked then. ''That's too dangerous. They are not the only ones cornered underground. It could be our grave too''
''Don't worry, we have the upper hand in this'' He reassured her. She looked at him, trying to read his expression to no avail.
''How so?''
He smirked.
''Because I do not plan on merely destroying our enemies, but change them."
Shiori struggled there. There was no doubt in her mind that this mission would change everyone involved, but what she feared the most is that it would change her too; change her in ways she didn't even know she could be changed into.
''I won't force you to come with me'' He spoke again, bringing her back to earth. ''If you don't think you are ready...''
''No'' She cut him, surprising even herself. She no longer knew if it was because she needed to get out of that apartment or because she has started to trust him. ''I want to''
''In that case'' He spoke grabbing a small device -probably to communicate once they were outside- from the table and offering it to me. ''Are you ready?''
They were finally outside. Things seemed so different from up close. Shiori had grew used to seeing everything from the top. This view just made her feel smaller. When they left his apartment he guided her through a series of passages before exiting to a street where he had parked a car. Now they were driving east. She looked out the window trying to calm her mind.
''Are you okay?'' He asked then, breaking the silence.
''Yeah'' She answered maybe too quickly ''It's just been a while since I've been outside'' which wasn't a lie. Even when she was at the Academy she didn't go into the city much, the students were confined inside the school.
''How does it feel?''
''Different''
''Are you scared?'' He asked suddenly.
''Eh?'' She turned to see his face.
''You are shaking'' He pointed out. She then looked down at her hands, resting on her lap. They were indeed shaking. Shiori tried to stop, but her hands wouldn't stop. She cursed herself.
''Ah.. I'm just nervous I guess'' She tried to shake it off diverting her eyes, but then he grabbed the wheel of the car with one hand and with the other one he grabbed the neck of her shirt and brought her closer, smashing his lips hungrily on top of hers. Her eyes opened in surprise, but soon enough she enclosed her eyes, as a muffled moan escaped her lips. At hearing that sound he moved away retaking full control of the wheel with a smirk.
''You don't need to worry'' He spoke before she could. ''You don't need to do anything, just observe and judge under your own criteria''
Shiori rested her head against the seat and looked at him shyly. She still felt breathless. She observed his calm features and all her anxiousness disappeared slowly. Finally she turned her head forward and stared at the city that opened in front of her. Judge the world with her own eyes?
That's why she was here, wasn't it? What she desired most...
Right?
So, how was it?
That's all I could mange to write today. I hope you had enjoyed the chapter. Remember to review and tell me what you thought of it.
And last, but not least... I wasn't planning on pairing (romantically) Reira with anybody, but I'd like to know if you would like that. Would you like to seee Reira/character too? Let me know on PM or reviews.
See you around~
