The Max/Saori dating scene...let it commence!
Chapter 14: You'll Be in My Heart
Soon after, Max and Saori walked around the whole Amatersu Village and as they were walking hand in hand, Saori couldn't imagine walking with anyone else besides Max and she asked, "Where do you want to go?"
"I don't know. Where do you want to go?" asked Max.
"Just anywhere as long as you're with me." Saori replied.
Not long after, they seek Ravi, Duke, Bakari and Isaiah coming in and Ravi was the first one to see Max walking with someone and he said, "Hey...Maximus!"
"Hey, Ravi." Max said.
Ravi chuckled softly and looks up at Saori for a second and he said, "Hey...are you back to get with me?"
Saori cleared her throat and replied, "I'm not your type. He's my date."
To Duke's surprise...she looked at the tigress and saw there was something familiar about her and he asked, "Saori, is that you?"
"Hello, Duke." Saori replied.
Ravi seemed puzzled and shocked to find that this is the girl he's always been talking about and asked, "That's Saori?"
"Yes, it is." Max added, with a chuckle.
"Oh...so that means she's taken?" asked Ravi.
Bakari scoffs at this and he said to Max, "Never mind what he said. I'm happy to see you again, Saori."
"It's great to be back." Saori replied.
Isaiah clears his throat and he said, "Anyways...we'd better get going. We're going to that new manga store that just opened up here. Wanna come?"
"Sounds great, but we've already got plans." Max replied.
After this, the gang headed their way while Max and Saori headed to another way as they began their date and they went to out to eat at this restaurant where everything looks so elegant and very beautiful looking and as they sat down, Saori looks at Max and said, "This is a very beautiful place."
"Thanks. Akashi recommended this place one time before and said that it's a really cool place and they serve a lot of spring rolls, noodles and dumplings." Max replied.
"Looking forward to trying those out." Saori added.
Couple of minutes, they ordered up some egg rolls, noodles, rice and dumplings and as they chowed down on them, Max completely couldn't get enough of some egg rolls and Saori said, "You must really love egg rolls."
"Who wouldn't?" asked Max.
Saori took a sip of her noodles and ate a few pieces of dumplings and she asked, "So...what have you been up to, since I was captive?"
"Just thinking about you, mostly. Ravi even wanted me to meet other girls that most find 'mateable', but I told him I'm reserved for you and you only." Max replied.
To know that Max has no other girl on his mind besides Saori made her feel like she was really appreciative that he didn't take Ravi's advice and Max said, "Got into wood carving and bladesmith four years ago."
"What do you do as a bladesmith?" asked Saori.
"Sharpen knives, katanas, swords, daggers...things like that. One day, I was sharpening this sword for this well-famous kung-fu master and your brother actually saw how good I was sharpening a few swords and he asked me to be his personal sword sharpener whenever he wants his katana sharpened." Max replied.
"Whoa...that must've been major." Saori said, impressed.
"Yep. I was only an apprentice then...but I've been graduated as a pro after only a year." Max added.
Saori chuckled softly and she was really proud of Max's accomplishment and said, "That's wonderful. It seems as though you made whatever you wanted come true."
"Yeah, I did. And you know who made all of this possible?" asked Max.
"Arizona?"
"Close. But you made it possible for me." Max replied.
She immediately blushed after this after finding out that she was the reason for making his dream come true and asked, "Me?"
"Yeah. You kept me going, even at times when you were kidnapped." Max added.
"I didn't know I would be the reason for making your dream come true, Max. Thank you." Saori added.
"You're welcome."
With this one bowl of noodles, they both ate the same string and they realized that they were closer to their mouths and after they nearly touched their noses, both of them started laughing a little nervously after that happened and both of them said, "Sorry."
After dinner, Max and Saori walked halfway across the forest to look up at the stars together and they were really feeling the same way back when they were teenagers when they looked up at the stars and just be around each other and both of them were really excited as to what's happening next.
Once they found a perfect spot to see the stars, they laid down on the grass and just looked up at the sky and Saori looks at Max for a while and she said, "Max?"
"Yeah?"
Saori lets out a deep sigh of nervousness and she said, "You wanna know how long I've been wanting to get out of that Kabishi's grasp?"
"3 years?"
"How'd you know?" asked Saori.
"After that guy took you away...I spent most days just blaming myself. It felt like I was responsible for not saving you when I promised you I would." Max replied.
"Don't blame yourself, Max. I had to endure too much of that guy's abuse and I had to put up with his crap; he wanted to mate me so many times and he treated me as his personal doormat/prisoner. He almost made me want to turn against you, Akashi, Miyo and my family." Saori added.
Max was definitely shocked to hear that the dude that maliciously harmed her tried to convince her to turn against the people she cares about and he said, "He's a jackass."
"Total jackass. He told me that you would take advantage of me and rape me." Saori answered.
Max scoffed at this and he knows that he would never do that to her or any other girl and said, "What does he know? He's deluded."
"He doesn't know me like I know you. That's why I had to leave him for you...after he forced me to be his wife." Saori said.
"Wait...he was gonna marry you?" asked Max, a little surprised.
"He didn't even ask. He just threw it out there, saying that I'm his little bitch and no one else's. I would not even want to spend the rest of my life being tormented by that bastard. Can you imagine? 3 years without you is like a death sentence and imagine life without you. I would feel really horrible if I never saw you again." Saori explained.
Then, Saori shows Max those bruises, scars, cuts and beat marks on her body and Max widened his eyes to realize that this guy was a monster for doing some uncontrollable harm to her and he gently grabbed her and saw the tears come out of Saori's eyes and he immediately hugged her as she began crying and Max gently stroked her back for comfort and whispered, "You're safe with me now."
Hearing that Kabishi was gonna force Saori to marry him made Max feel really disturbed, but at the same time, he wwas really happy that she left him behind and he said, "He doesn't deserve someone like you. You're sweet, kind, friendly, beautiful and...I couldn't imagine anyone else I'd rather be with than you."
"I feel the same way about you." Saori added.
He came closer to her and he gently touched her cheek and looked at her in the eye and said, "I promise you that I'll protect you...and this time, I'll stand by your side and never leave you alone."
With that, Max began singing a song for her and as he gazed into her eyes...
Come stop your crying
It'll be all right
Just take my hand
Hold it tight
I will protect you
from all around you
I will be here
Don't you cry...
For one so small
You seem so strong
My hands will hold you
keep you safe and warm
This bond between us
Can't be broken
I will be here
Don't you cry
Cuz you'll be in my heart
Yes, you'll be in my heart
From this day on
Now and forever more...
You'll be in my heart
No matter what they say
You'll be here in my heart
Always...
Max looked at Saori in the eye and whispered in her ear, "Always."
Both tigers kept gazing at each other and they got closer to each other and their lips touched each other as they kissed each other in the mouth and it became a very tender and sweet kiss and by the minute they breathed for air, Saori looked at Max deeply and whispered, "Stay with me...forever."
"I'll never let you go. Not when I'm here." Max replied.
They both started kissing again and it went into passionate mode as two tongues danced each other and laid on the grass, both of them still kissing back and forth, rolling around and it solidified that they're still mates...now and forever.
After 7 minutes, they came up for air and Saori rested her head on Max's chest and he gently wrapped her arms around her and whispered, "I love you, Saori Okami."
"I love you too...Maximus Bushido-Akio." Saori whispered.
Wasn't that cute? The song was 'You'll Be in My Heart' from Tarzan. I was listening to the Disney Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 (the Green One) and it just came up as a comforting song that Max can sing to Saori. Master of Stories; Akashi, Miyo, Saori and the rest of ya, weigh in if you please!