Shelf #025

The following evening, Kuu and Julie were on their own at the living room. Spike had told them he'd be out to party with some friends.

Tonight, Julie had decided to wear Kuu's gray sweater and Spike's soft, white pajamas. Because Kuu's sweater was too big, the sweater now became a gorgeous off shoulder for Julie, revealing off red straps of her bra. Her hair was swept up in a nice, loose updo held by a pencil she found in the desk.

The two of them were sipping coffee, a few seconds of just co-existing. Both of their feet stretched out on the table. Julie studied her script on a sofa opposite Kuu, while Kuu was wearing his spectacles, in deep concentration reading his manga from the shop. It was the new volume of Skip Beat! and he was at the heat of the story. Maybe this time, Kuu hoped, Lory can finally get his wish to see Kyoko admit her feelings to Ren in his Cain mode in front of all the production staff. And also maybe he'd get to find out whether Ren in Cain actually whispered, 'I love you, Setsu', in her ear.

Julie looked up and watched him read quietly. Some time he would turn a page, pick up his mug and drank his coffee. This was her first time to have seen him with glasses. She realized he actually looked very handsome with it too, probably the most perfect man to be suited with one. Then her eyes fell on his feet. Then to hers. An amusingly little pair opposite to the gigantic.

Staring at it, Julie broke the silence.

"You've got big feet," she said, smiling.

Kuu looked back at her, blinking. "Yeah. . Always have had."

She stared back at him. "You know what they say about men with big feet?"

"No. What's that?"

"Big feet –– large shoes. . Large slippers. . Large socks. . Large boots. . . What a very special size."

He laughed. He threw a small throw pillow at her. It hit her side. She took it and threw it back. The throw pillow hit him straight on the face. She laughed out loud. Laughing with her, he quickly got up and threw himself at her on the sofa, tickling her sides. He blew raspberries on the soft pillar of her neck and bit her ears, rendering her helpless with mirth.

A few hours later during the night, at around thirty minutes past eleven, Kuu had prepared tart and pitted cherries with scoops of chocolate ice cream from the tub. The two ate together at the living room, sitting beside each other on the soft couch.

"The thing that's so irritating is that now I'm so totally fierce when it comes to nudity clauses," Julie said, taking a big spoonful from her bowl.

"You actually have clauses about your contact with nudity?" Kuu asked. He took his own bite. Julie nodded.

"Mm –– Definitely. 'You may show the dent at the top of the artist's buttocks –– but neither cheek. In the event of a stunt person being used, the artist must have full consultation.'"

"You have a stunt bottom?"

"I could have a stunt bottom, yes."

Kuu smiled. "Would you be tempted to go for a better stunt bottom than your own?"

She smiled back at him. "Definitely. This is one fucking important stuff."

He took a big spoonful from his bowl. "It's one hell of a job. What do you put on your passport? Profession –– Mel Gibson's bottom."

They snorted out loud.

"Actually –– Mel does his own ass work, Kuu," Julie said, chuckling with him. "Why wouldn't he? It's delicious."

"The ice cream or Mel Gibson's bottom."

Julie almost choked on her ice cream.

"Both," she said, laughing softly with him. She pointed her spoon to the bowl. "And this is vanilla tart that you made for me. With cherries and chocolate ice cream. And is fuzz free. ."

He ruffled her hair as they laughed. She took a spoonful and looked up to see a scoop held for her. She smiled, and took a bite from his spoon. He took his own scoop, and this time it was his turn to notice a cherry in front of his eyes. He watched her placed it between her teeth. She winked and smiled teasingly.

"You want me to try?" Kuu asked, a challenging spark in his eyes. Her own eyes twinkled back its own desire. She winked.

"Try. . ."

He placed the bowl on the glass table across from them, and leaned forward. Her hands wrapped around his neck. Just this close, and he skillfully and slowly took a bite off from the cherry, leaving the half still on her teeth. She didn't bit it. Instead, she moved her tongue to hold the remaining half out. Her eyes flickered a deep passion that mirrored his. He gently bit it, and she caught his lip. Hungrily, they devoured their lips in a deep kiss. She moaned a fierce cry of joy as his lips demmanded entrance. The pretty red buds opened slightly, and he fenced her further, roving inside with so much love. His hands held her waist, then travelled down the sweater and up on her bare skin. She moaned in their kiss. She wrapped her arms around him as he pulled her closer to him. She could feel his powerful body restraining itself in its desire, and she loved him the more, for if he tried to take her now, she would give herself gladly to him, and he must surely know it.

Over and over they kissed, locked in their tight, loving embrace, as they sank into a pool of breathtaking passion.

Reluctantly they loosed each other and broke apart in deep gasps. His eyes were warm and caressing with tender love in the depths. He held up his hand and caressed her face. Her cheeks were flushed in soft pink, her lips softly bruised with recent deep kisses, her eyes dreamy with anticipation. He was deeply intoxicated by this goddess he loved so much more than anything. She had let him know he can take her any moment, he was sure of it in their kiss. Definitely, he felt it.

"How's it. .?" she whispered softly in his lips. She touched his hand still on her face. He moved his thumb to caress her cheek.

". .The cherry or the kiss?" he whispered.

"Both. ."

"Taste better than ice cream. . ."

And they laugh heartily.

That night, Julie held a glass of water as they were walking up the stairs. They rounded the corner, and stopped at the bedroom door. She turned to face him.

"These days had been really great, Kuu. . " she whispered, her eyes warm. "Which, under the circumstances is. . . . quite unexpected."

"Well, thank you," Kuu said, smiling warmly at her. There was an awkward pause, then. . He whispered softly. "Anyway –– time for bed. Or. . . sofa-bed."

There was another pause, as Julie smiled back at him. Her eyes twinkled. "Right. . Good night, Kuu. ." she whispered softly.

"Good night. ."

She leaned forward, kissed him gently –– he kissed her back. Then she stepped into the bedroom and closed the door. Assured himself that she was finally off to bed, he walked off into the corridor and down the stairs.

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