Title: Lily and Thistle

Author: paws_bells

Characters/Pairing: Sarugaki Hiyori and Hirako Shinji

Type: One-shot Collection (InComplete)

Genre: Romance/Humor

Word Count: 7519

Rating: M (Contains content suitable for mature teens and older) SMUT WARNING!

Disclaimer: Bleach belongs to Kubo Tite.

Summary: 'Say Please'-verse. The language of flowers. The devoted and passionate Lily. The brave and loyal Thistle. A bouquet of love. One-shot series.

Created on: 01/11/13

Completed on: 02/12/13

Chapter Last Revised on: 07/12/17

And Love Will Set You Free

…He completely meant every word, Hiyori realized belatedly. Her struggles grew more frantic, but she was stuck like a bug caught in a sticky web, and that giant obnoxious spider also known as her significant other wasn't going to let her go until he had sucked the soul right out of her.

"Shinji," the petite female growled then, still frustrated even though she was starting to resign herself to this unfortunate series of events, her resistance beginning to lessen. "Yer so gonna get it once I get outta this!" she threatened, giving him the evil eye as she did so. Much to her consternation, he was hardly intimidated by her promise.

"Okay, but yer still gonna have 'ta escape my bonds first," he told her teasingly, and her scowl deepened. Damn it, he was right.

A soft laugh escaped him at her visibly trapped expression, and Shinji lowered his head to nuzzle her neck affectionately. "You've been drivin' me crazy for the last couple of weeks, brat. Allow me 'ta return the favor now."

Hiyori was not thrilled at all to find herself in this predicament, but still, the young woman reluctantly submitted to her lover's ministrations, allowing him to move in close to kiss and touch her with increasing intimacy, her blood quickening in her veins and her heart racing at his proximity. Much to her chagrin, she was unable to deny him, her body instinctively craving his. He brushed his lips against the side of her jaw, and then he leaned over to kiss her full on the mouth once more.

"I love ya, brat," he told her once again, and she trembled at the rich, low timbre of his voice, so sure and calm in his declaration. Her glowing eyes met his, and she was weak to his words, her bristling form gradually subsiding as he continued to whisper softly to her. She looked agitated still (and quite skittish), but she was slowly calming down. Encouraged by her response, Shinji settled his larger form over her petite one once more and continued. "I've been waitin' 'ta hear those words from ya for a very long time, so indulge me this time, hmm?"

But still Hiyori was stubbornly clamping her mouth shut. She was also diligently trying to avoid his eyes, and so, chuckling, Shinji merely lowered his head and continued to softly kiss and nibble on her sensitive neck in a way that was calculated to fluster her, and very soon, the smaller blonde was reduced to a shivering mess under her powerful lover, squirming restlessly and biting back pleasured whimpers as he skillfully and deftly used that mouth of his on her.

Normally fierce ochre was dazed as she stared vaguely ahead at the ceiling, her senses overwhelmed by the lean, rangy male stretched out on top of her like a large, lazy feline. His cologne and soothing musky scent enveloped her completely, and the heat radiating from him calmed her temper further and stirred the other side of her passions instead. The way his fine hair tickled her fair skin, raising goosebumps along its wake, the way his mouth slowly and sensually brushed alongside the dainty column of her throat, sending intense pulses of hyperawareness racing thrillingly down her spine – he suddenly nipped down hard on her tender flesh, and Hiyori jerked and whined shakily in response.

"H-Hage," she squeaked breathlessly as the golden-haired Captain continued to very attentively tend to the love bite that he had just left on her neck, flicking the rough pad of his tongue over it briefly before sealing mouth over her skin and suckling deliberately. Hiyori's limbs went weak as arousal rushed through her body, though her arms were still firmly bound by Kido over her head and Shinji was so firmly situated between her legs that her movements were severely limited. By now, the petite female was no longer trying to escape from the amorous clutches of her lover – if anything, she was encouraging him with her naturally responsive demeanor, and was even starting to grow slightly impatient with how painstakingly slow his advances were towards her. He was driving her crazy with that mouth of his, concentrating all of his efforts on her neck – he hadn't even laid his hands on her yet, and already she wanted more.

The small female heaved her body up against her lover's, tossing her head restlessly, her mouth parting, showing a glint of her tiny fang, as she gasped. Her slender legs drew up to his narrow hips, the insides of her thighs rubbing against his sleek waist, all but inviting his touch, but much to her increasing aggravation, she was promptly ignored.

"Shinji," she hissed disgruntledly.

Unfortunately for her, he was still not picking up on her cue at all. If anything, the other blond was more interested in leaving a nice, visible mark of his possession on her body and did not appear to be paying her demands a whit of attention. Once again, Hiyori tugged hopelessly at her bonds, and then she growled, sexually frustrated. He was such a bloody tease.

"Damn it," the young woman snapped out then. "Are ya gonna make love 'ta me properly or not, ya shitty baldy?!"

Shinji pulled back slightly, briefly inspecting the reddened bruise that he had left on the neck of his fiery lover. He was quite proud of his handiwork – the love bite was prominently situated enough that it was going to be difficult for her to hide, and surely any male who laid eyes on it would have enough common sense to immediately understand that she was already thoroughly claimed. However, just to be on the safe side, perhaps he should leave a few more on her – after all, it wasn't as if he didn't enjoy the act of marking her, not to mention, his ministrations also had the rather delightful side effect of turning her into a pile of quavering, aroused Hiyori-shaped putty under him.

Decision made, the Gobantai Taichou nudged Hiyori's head to the side and promptly went back to work on her pristine, unmarred skin, much to her indignant squawks of protests, though even that quickly turned into shaky, pleasured moans once he expertly wore down her resistance. She was weak against him and he was shamelessly taking advantage of it, every shudder of her slight body and every tiny sound she made further pleasing him – as always, she was so wonderfully receptive to him, and her innate reaction filled him with masculine satisfaction. He was blatantly monopolizing her every thought right now, purposely making it such that there would be no room for anyone else but himself, and she wasn't complaining – not too much, at least.

It wasn't long before she was helplessly stuttering his name again, her voice shaking with lust and want as she instinctively called upon her lover to relieve the sharp ache of desire growing in her womb.

"Hmm?" Shinji merely hummed lazily as he continued to tend to yet another blossoming bruise on her neck. His golden eyes lifted to meet her glazed, frantic ones, gentling slightly as they did so. "Is there somethin' that ya need from me?" he spoke huskily, provocatively. His lightly teasing tone made Hiyori glare at him, or at least she tried to do so, but was too ruffled to properly channel her displeasure.

"Yer not gettin' off the hook this time till I hear the words," he told her silkily, affectionately nosing her cheek and the line of her jaw. "Hi-yo-ri. I. Love. Ya," he enunciated slowly against her flushed skin. "Say it."

The tiny female was turning an intense shade of red, but Shinji was relentless.

After a long, long, silence, at last, almost against her will, Hiyori started to cave.

"I…l-l-love…ya…" she gritted out shakily at last, sounding more forced and stiff than actually loving as she did so. However, her other half was very happy with her stilted, nervous reply – she did not sound as anxious as the first time, having been successfully distracted by him – and he promptly rewarded her by finally laying his large, elegant hands on her straining, needy body.

"Good girl," he purred in her ear, his long, narrow fingers slipping under the hem of her white tank top, lazily caressing the silky flesh over her taut stomach, the pad of his thumb slowly running along the scar that circled her middle. He was extremely demonstrative, generously showering his affection on her, his warm, callused hand stroking up over her lithe, toned torso and then laying possessively over her modest chest, displacing her shirt and pushing the fabric up around her small shoulders instead. She instinctively arched into his touch, a small, throaty moan slipping from her throat when those sinful fingers of his lightly plucked and pinched at her pink areola. Her breasts were small but incredibly sensitive, and the way he was rolling her puckered and beaded flesh between his thumb and forefinger made the liquid warmth growing in her lower belly bloom further – Hiyori whimpered and squirmed helplessly when he ducked his head and enveloped her other nipple in the moist heat of his mouth, suckling at her insistently and making her toes curl at the delicious sensation.

She was becoming increasingly aroused by his intimate attentions, and the young woman tugged uselessly at her Kido restraints again. Much to her frustration, he still wasn't letting her go. Shinji flicked his pierced tongue against the tender pink bud that he had been diligently nursing from, and an incoherent sound of pleasure escaped his petite lover.

"Not yet, luv," he spoke against her heaving chest, his voice silky with affection, nipping softly at the gentle valley between her breasts. He could feel her slight body trembling beneath his lips. "Again. Tell me again."

This time, the words came a bit easier, in the increasingly thick haze of urgent lust and pressing desire.

"…I…l-love ya," she breathed lowly, sexual need glowing in her eyes as she locked her gaze with his, and the increasing intensity of her declaration pleased him very much. He kissed her breasts with lusty affection, and she pressed herself into his mouth, her waiflike body all but wriggling under his with acute excitement, a breathless yelp escaping her when he tongued her a bit too roughly before biting down lightly on her sensitive nipple.

"Shit, S-Shinji," she panted even as he reached up to lick and kiss her neck, deliberately attacking her weak spots. One of his hand crept down to her middle, his fingers briefly caressing the soft skin over her waist and lightly ghosting over the jut of her hipbone before slipping under the waistband of her track pants. He started to tug the fabric off of her singlehandedly, at the same time still distracting her with hungry, eager kisses along her shoulders and the slender column of her throat, and even though increasingly preoccupied and restless, Hiyori was more than willing to assist him in the removal of her clothes. At last kicking the heavy material away, she was left in a pair of plain, white panties, her slim legs completely naked, her tank top disheveled and bunched loosely around her neck so that he could have free access to her nubile body.

Shinji laid a large hand over her bare thigh, stroking the silky skin with feather light touches. His mouth trailed wet, languorous kisses up to the sensitive skin behind her ear, and then he took the tip of her earlobe into his mouth and gently nibbled. She shuddered, and those pianist's fingers of his drifted further down between their bodies, hovering possessively over her panties before he slowly, deliberately started to touch her through the thin, cotton fabric. A tiny sound slipped from her, and Hiyori pulled roughly at her restraints once more, only for her lover to reach up and wrap one large, lean hand securely around her bound wrists, easily stilling her even as he continued to tease and pleasure her at the same time.

"Hiyori," Shinji uttered her name in a husky rasp. "Yer absolutely delightful, ya know that, right?" Those long, sinful fingers of his drew slow circles between her trembling legs, the pads of his index and middle digits rubbing decadently against the pink bud of her clitoris through the material of her underwear. "Yer already becomin' so slick and damp; yer makin' me really excited as well, luv." He was also languidly tracing the outline of her nether lips through the rapidly moist crotch of her panties – up and down, up and down – until all she could think about was the sinful movements of his hand and how she desperately needed more.

"Dammit," the young woman burst out angrily then, her face flushed with arousal and visibly frustrated. "Stop torturin' me already!"

It had been awhile since they had last made love, and Hiyori was chagrinned to realize that she had an extremely fierce need at the moment that only he could satisfy. Obviously he was aware of her intense sexual craving for him, for he was taking advantage of her weaker position and slyly demanding ridiculous things out of her, this bastard.

"I'm not tryin' 'ta torture ya," he refuted her accusation, his tone so full of desirous affection for her that she could not help but to respond to it. Pulling back from her neck to look at her heated features, he grinned slightly, briefly flashing twin rows of his even white teeth before he ducked his head once more, this time to kiss her on the lips. She responded to him immediately, her mouth hungrily sucking at his with such enthusiastic, carnal fervor that he could only groan and nip at her lips before quickly withdrawing once more, much to her fierce growl of displeasure.

His golden eyes locked with her ochre ones. "Tell me what ya want, Hiyori," he drawled silkily, and she glared at him.

"Ya bloody well know what I want," she snapped irritably. "I want ya 'ta stop teasin' me and fuck me properly already."

She was very moody and increasingly aggravated, but he was hardly put off by her sharp retorts. On the contrary, her agitation pleased him – the fact that he could fluster her so much made him feel pretty damn cheerful, actually – and Shinji continued to do his best to drive her out of her mind with lust. "Mmm, I wanna hear the magic words first."

She tried to glower at him but was somehow unable to channel the full force of her frustration and displeasure at her dastardly lover. He still had his hand between her legs, his elegant fingers gliding all sorts of lewd patterns on her panties, directly over her sensitive, aching flesh, and the petite blonde simply could not take it anymore. This time, Hiyori all but spat out the words – there was hardly any hesitation anymore, in her haste to receive his attention as quickly as possible.

"I love ya, ya dickhead!" she all but yelled, visibly riled. "I must be stupid or somethin,' but I love ya! Happy now?!"

Shinji's lips twitched up at her testy reply. "Yes," he purred huskily. "I'm very happy 'ta hear yer declaration, brat."

He was completely genuine, and she could detect the pleasure in his rich tone. The sound of his voice made her anger subside as helpless arousal rushed through her once more, and as much as it infuriated her that he could so easily excite her, the rest of her just wanted his attention so damn badly that she did not care about everything else anymore.

His fingers slipped under her panties then, and the feel of his callused digits finally in direct contact with her slick, needy flesh made her knees go weak. Her hips arched into his hand seemingly of their own accord, and a squeaky moan escaped her when he slid one long, slender finger into her eager body. He was driving her crazy as he slowly moved his hand between her shaking legs, and Hiyori strained desperately against her lover, her own hands curling into small fists over her head as the urge to touch him in return became nearly overwhelming. Hiyori raised her head and kissed the corner of Shinji's mouth needily, her tongue darting out to swipe against his bottom lip before she drew his flesh into her mouth, suckling hungrily as she did her best to show him just how much she craved for him.

"Lemme loose," she panted against his mouth, her feline eyes glowing with desire. "I wanna touch ya." Even though her words had come out as a rough demand, her demeanor was unexpectedly docile as she nipped submissively at his jawline. Shinji growled lowly, weak to her demonstrative response, but he did not release her immediately.

"Dammit, Shinji," Hiyori whined breathlessly, growing increasingly restless. "Do I have 'ta beg again?"

"I don't need ya 'ta beg," the lean, lanky male replied. "Ya know what I want, brat."

Of course she knew. That damn L-word. If Hiyori had known that she would unleash such an insatiable monster in her lover, she would have chosen to keep her stupid mouth shut in the first place. But now was too late for regrets, and her cheeks flushed, and the slender female very softly mumbled out once more. "…I love ya – now will ya lemme go?"

"…I don't know," he said after a while, his tone deliciously low but slightly mischievous as well. "Ya don't sound very passionate or lovin' at all."

Hiyori's indignant response quickly turned into a whimpering moan when her lover lazily inserted a second finger into her body. Her gaze went briefly unfocused as he assaulted her senses with pleasure, his thumb lightly massaging her swollen clitoris even as he slowly moved his long, narrow digits in and out of her slick, grasping body. Hiyori bit her lips and tried to muffle the all too sexual sounds of carnal enjoyment mewling from her throat. Shinji's eyes darkened as he watched her incredibly sexy, vulnerable appearance, her flaxen hair flowing messily around her small face, her rosy mouth kiss swollen and her cutely freckled cheeks flushed, her catlike eyes glowing with raw desire as they fixated on him.

"Hiyori," he whispered huskily in her ear, curling his fingers inside of her and stroking her snug, shuddering flesh thoroughly. "Yer only allowed 'ta show this arousin' expression 'ta me."

The smaller female was barely coherent at this point – her lover could have asked anything of her and she would have frantically agreed, so long as he continued to lavish his sensual attention on her. Hiyori nodded tightly, and this time, she knew what else he wanted. Channeling the entirety of her chaotic, intense, all-encompassing feelings for him in a strong, powerful burst of spiritual pressure, the smaller blonde promptly radiated her feelings outwards in an concentrated surge of emotions, her gaze suddenly sharp, concentrating on him with unexpected ferocity.

"I love ya, Hirako Shinji," she boldly declared to him then, her ochre eyes blazing, riding so high on passion at the moment that her earlier jittery hesitation and tension were no longer influencing her demeanor. "Yer mine – my best friend, my lover, my man. Ya belong 'ta me now – I won't ever let ya go."

There was nothing but absolute conviction in her fiercely possessive statement as she stared defiantly at him, and he said nothing for the longest while, a neutral expression on his face as he watched her back silently, intently studying her determined, beloved features. At last, Hiyori could not bear the suspense anymore, and the petite female quickly blurted out next. "So don't even think of tryin' 'ta escape – it's too late for second thoughts."

His golden gaze softened slightly with affection then, and he leaned in, his mouth brushing against hers with utmost tenderness. "Maybe I won't mind stayin' caught by ya," he murmured. "Silly brat, ya already had me hooked long before ya even knew it."

Her eyes widened at his confession, and this time, when she tugged lightly at her restraints, he let her go – the Kido bonds had already served their purpose, after all. In an instant, the tiny female was on her lover, swiftly dislodging his fingers from her body and pushing him onto his back, straddling his waist and pinning him down onto the bed.

"S'your turn," she demanded in a growl, leaning over him and pressing her small hands on his shihakusho clad chest. "Ya have been makin' me say the words – s'not fair that ya only get 'ta hear it from me."

He was pleased by her sulky reply. Chuckling huskily, his own eyes dark with desire for her, he asked in a rich, teasing tone. "Only the words? Are ya sure that's all ya want from me?"

She arched her small, girlish hips into his, deliberately rubbing herself against the unmistakable proof of his arousal. Her face flushed further, and a small gasp escaped her at the pleasurable friction that her action had created. She looked down at the lean, rangy male lying calmly under her, and her heated feline eyes locked with his.

"I want ya – all of ya."

Shinji smiled slowly. His hands reached up to wrap firmly around her slender wrists, and then he tugged lightly, pulling her down so that he could kiss her neck and jawline. Then, he licked at the shell of her ear, before he very softly, tenderly, whispered to her.

"I love ya, Sarugaki Hiyori." The quiet intensity of his intimate pledge made her shiver and also caused a warm feeling to grow within her at the same time. "Yer mine too."

His steadfast avowal made her insides melt, and most importantly, it also made a heady flush bloom across her entire body. Hiyori bit her lips as she felt herself react solely to his words and the sound of his sinfully arousing voice – she craved him so badly right now. She immediately sat up once more and quickly pulled off her top, leaving her fair, slender torso completely bare. Tossing the white tank top carelessly over her shoulder, she leaned forward and started to claw his haori and shihakusho off of him, eager to feel his warm, firm flesh under her hands and hungry for the taste of his skin on her tongue. Her frantic, artless need for him was such a complete and utter turn on, and he found himself desiring her just as fiercely as well.

The fine-haired male pushed himself up on his elbows and helped his lover to undress himself. His Shinigami uniform was considerably more complicated than the modern attire of the Living Realm, and the little female quickly got frustrated with the ties and knots that kept her from her ultimate goal. Growling, she slipped her fingers under the lapels of his shitagi and roughly pulled it off of him together with his black kosode and white haori, ducking down to kiss, lick and bite at his sleek, firm pectorals even as her hands reached further down to fumble with the fastenings of his hakama himo. He groaned at her pleasurable assault, and then he sat up completely, reaching out one strong, leanly muscular arm to wrap around his lover's waist and pull her even closer against him, sitting her firmly against his loins and making her emit a muffled moan in response. By then, he was in a complete dishabille and she was only clad in a pair of panties, but neither cared, completely focused on each other instead.

Hiyori managed to undo his hakama and quickly parted the fabric, delving past the folds of black cloth and his fundoshi to finally curl her fingers triumphantly around her prize. His hard, stiff arousal seared her palm with amazing heat and she immediately gave him an eager squeeze, eliciting a low, pleasured whine from his throat. The little blonde leaned in and nipped at the corner of her lover's mouth.

"Mine," she boldly and assertively claimed, gripping him firmly in her small hands and flicking a nimble thumb over the sensitive head of his penis before very possessively and repeatedly stroking his velvety, rigid length from root to tip. "Mine," she breathed against his lips once more, and he shuddered and surged his hips into her palms.

"Hiyori," he groaned huskily, kissing her hungrily, not refuting her claim whatsoever. "Hiyori."

His little minx strained against him to kiss him back eagerly, all but squirming excitedly on his lap though when he reached out to touch her, his fingers delving under the waistband of her cotton panties to brush against the jut of her hipbone, she pushed his hand away. "I'm makin' love 'ta ya," she informed him huskily. "Not the other way 'round."

Unfortunately for her, he did not quite agree with her remark. Catching her wrist with his own, he continued to kiss her lustily on the mouth before responding. "I think this experience will be more fulfillin' if I'm participatin' as well, luv," he drawled silkily, his voice becoming deliciously rough and intimate as he continued. "I'm gonna be touchin' ya all over tonight."

She shivered at his low, languid promise and swallowed hard, and this time, when his hand moved towards her underwear, she pressed her face into the side of his neck instead, wordlessly accepting his ministrations as he slipped under the tiny scrap of fabric to caress her bottom, his long fingers lightly pinching the firm flesh (and eliciting a soft, breathless yelp from her) before ghosting over the side of her hips and the gentle curve of her inner thigh. She was extremely sensitive there, and the callused pads of his digits made goosebumps break out all over her skin, and she trembled once again.

She continued to touch his stiff length eagerly, thin fingers curled around his erection and massaging him sensually at the same time as he touched her intimately as well, his own elegant, narrow digits gliding between the slippery, tender flesh between her slender legs. A tiny gasp escaped her at the ensuing pleasure. Her eyes slowly glazed over, and she abruptly released him to wiggle even closer on his lap, pushing his hand away once again. "S-Shinji," she hissed then, their loins touching as she pressed needily against him, her arm snaking around his neck to hold herself even closer to him, straddling him even tighter. The petite blonde rocked impatiently against her lover, her breathing quickening at the sinful friction. She lifted her head to look at him, her face pink, her mouth parted slightly, flashing her tiny fang as she panted softly. Her feline eyes pierced his. "I want ya. I fuckin' want ya now."

She did not wait for him to give her an answer. Kneeling with him between her legs, she immediately stretched up, one hand steadying herself on his shoulder, and the other reaching down between their bodies to grab him. This time, he was the one to catch her hand and hold her away, tipping her backwards onto the mattress instead, following her down swiftly and covering her smaller body with his own. He was larger and heavier than she was, and her breath was briefly knocked out of her lungs as he settled over her like a large, sleek, predator, but she recovered quickly enough, arching fervently against him and wrapping her legs around his hips, her hands restlessly trying to touch him as much as he would allow it, all but frantically rubbing up against him like a cat in heat, desperate for sexual relief.

Shinji deftly caught her small wrists with one large, long fingered hand and pulled her arms up over her head, once again holding them there.

His other hand stroked her bare, lithe torso with exquisitely gentle but openly carnal affection, making her squirm and whimper, before reaching further downwards between her spread thighs and roughly pushing the crotch of her panties aside, revealing the slick pink flesh of her excited, seeping entrance. He mounted his petite lover, eager to join with her as she was with him, and she quivered under him with anticipation as he brought the tip of his rigid shaft to rest against her opening. The smaller blonde immediately tried to surge her hips against him to quickly take him inside of her, but he pressed her down onto the mattress with one large hand splayed over her lower belly, and she keened in frustration. Shinji's golden head lowered as he nosed his brat's flushed, freckled cheek demonstratively, brushing his lips against the side of her mouth.

"Tell me those words again, Hiyori," he whispered, and this time, she no longer even hesitated.

"I love ya," she hissed, turning her face to his and kissing him passionately. In the privacy of her room, with only the two of them enclosed intimately together, Hiyori was slowly discovering the intoxicating freedom of being able to say those three words that she had always been so afraid to speak of for so long. However, when they were alone like this and Shinji was focused on her so intently, it actually made her feel really good to declare herself to him – it wasn't stressful or nerve racking at all once she got over her initial reluctance and his obvious pleasure and approval were extremely gratifying and empowering. Admitting her feelings for him did not make her weak – on the contrary, she felt giddy with elation, and she was quickly learning that she enjoyed pleasing her lover thusly.

"I love ya. I love ya, I love ya, I love ya," she repeated again and again, interspersing each of her wholehearted declaration with eager kisses all over his mouth, chin and chiseled jaw, being so unexpectedly affectionate that it was such a complete turn on for him. Shinji growled softly and moved his hand from the flat of her belly to her upper thigh, pulling her slender leg up over his hip and opening her wider for his lovemaking. He nudged against her slick folds and she immediately squirmed, her pupils dilating at the sensation, only to squeak with indignant protest when he paused again.

"Goddammit, Shinji-!" Hiyori burst out. "I may love ya, but yer really pushin' it-!"

"Yeah," he admitted huskily. "But yer stuck with me for good, so no take backs. I love ya, brat."

He knew exactly how to say the words to make her go weak for him, inserting them with such casual intimacy that she could not help but to react innately to him. Hiyori trembled, and this time, as Shinji leaned in to kiss her passionately, he very slowly started to enter her eager, grasping body as well, the mushroomed head of his erection languidly parting her slick channel as he sheathed himself inside of her. His petite lover instinctively pressed herself even closer to him, her slender thighs riding up even higher against his narrow waist, a muffled whimper escaping her throat when he was finally hilted in her. Her tight, snug form immediately squeezed hungrily around him like a velvet fist, and when he slowly withdrew from her, her body immediately clung to him so persuasively that he groaned. He pulled nearly all the way out of her before deliberately sinking back in again, inch by painstaking inch, and she jerked helplessly under him when he filled her completely once more, pushing so deeply inside of her that she could feel him brushing up against the entrance of her cervix.

Hiyori moaned her lover's name loudly, her hands coming up to his shoulders, her fingers curving into tiny claws as she dug them into the back of his haori, all but straining against him, trying to get him to move. He obliged her impatient demand, his lean flanks withdrawing from hers once more, then rejoining her like before, his speed slowly increasing, his thrusts becoming more deliberate and thorough as he settled low between her thighs and started to move in earnest.

"Nngh, Shinji," she growled into his ear, her teeth clenched as she tried her best to keep up with him – each fierce surge of his hips pressing her deeper onto the bedspread. She struggled to hook her small ankles behind his narrow hips to keep him close, shuddering when he reached his hand down between their bodies to touch her intimately once more, his fingers slipping under her panties to rub against the tiny bud of her clitoris, and she arched into him with another passionate keen, her breaths coming in quick pants as she felt herself tensing up with the onset of a fast approaching orgasm – Shinji had been teasing her so much that it did not take further stimulation on his part to drive her over the edge. Her restlessness grew, and she became increasingly frenzied with every stroke of his sleekly muscular body. He drew her close and huskily whispered his love and adoration of her in her ear, and the words, coupled with everything else that he had been doing to her at the same time, was enough to make her lose control completely.

Convulsing helplessly under him, her snug, rippling passage clenched around his stiff length immediately, a tiny howl escaped her as Hiyori quickly met her climax. Her Shinigami lover immediately leaned over and covered her lips with his own in a scorching kiss, and she quickly latched onto him fervently, desperately sucking at his mouth even as her entire body shook from the force of her sexual release.

"G-God, I love ya," she wheezed harshly, whining softly when he continued to move, pleasuring her further with his body.

"No, luv," he purred teasingly in her ear. "Not god, Hiyori. Me."

She would have glared at him if she wasn't so busy trying not to get overwhelmed by their lovemaking. "Yer talkin' too much, dumbass," she panted. "Shut up and pay attention 'ta me."

His eyes darkened, looking at her so intently that their world simply narrowed down to just the two of them.

"I've always been payin' attention 'ta ya, Hiyori."

His simple, earnest words, coupled with his tender ministrations, made her go wild. The petite woman could not seem to control her own reactions, her legs trembling as she wrapped them tightly around his lean hips, her waifish form curving up against him beautifully as she strained to take him fully inside of her. Every hard, powerful stroke of his body against hers made a tiny gasp escape her, and the ensuing, friction was simply, maddeningly, delicious. The female Vizard was trying her best not to be completely swept away by the unrelenting pleasure that her lover was giving to her, but he was making it next to impossible for her to do so.

"I love ya, Hiyori," he told her again, desire and fierce need thickening his voice, his arm snaking around her tiny waist to tug her closer against him, his mouth lingering near the sensitive shell of her ear. The new position pulled her firmly under him, opening her up utterly to him, and when he thrust deeply into her body, she felt each and every single inch of him explicitly.

"I love ya," he whispered again, softly, intimately, brushing his lips against the soft patch of skin below her ear. His movements slowed, became more languid and unhurried, but no less deliberate and thorough. "I love ya."

Hiyori moaned and struggled fiercely against him, raising her smallish hips hungrily to receive him better, the little mewls and grunts coming from her becoming increasingly frantic and passionate once more. He was driving her crazy.

"S-Shinji," she stuttered breathlessly, their gazes meeting as she turned her head to his. Her feline, ochre gaze was luminous and dewy, seeming to shine with the light of a thousand suns. "I love ya too."

That was it. Simple, quiet and filled with all the sincerity and love that existed for him within her small, tiny form. The stark honesty in her whispered confession was simply beautiful, and the tremulous expression on her sweet, freckled features, the hushed ecstasy in her voice, the way she looked only at him – he was going to remember this moment for as long as he lived.

Her cheeks were flushed with sensual affection and love, and she looked entirely too vulnerable and appealing as she stared up at him with her large passion hazed eyes. Hiyori slowly licked her reddened, swollen lips, made extra sensitive and tender by his kisses, and for one rare moment, she looked shy and embarrassed. "I w-want ya inside me- t-together-" she mumbled uncertainly at first before she regained her confidence and became bolder in her demand, reaching up slightly to kiss the side of his mouth and his chin. "Come with me."

His eyes dilated at her request. There was no need to reply her verbally. Leaning down, he proceeded to kiss her tenderly and languidly, slipping his tongue into her mouth to dance with hers, their lips clinging, rubbing, brushing against each other's, their bodies pressed so closely together that there was not even a millimeter of space left between their torsos. Shinji rocked slowly against his lover, savoring the feel of her all around him, the tiny sounds she made, the way she looked, her scent – she was utterly beloved to him, and at that moment, as he leaned his forehead against hers and looked deeply into her eyes, it was apparent that she felt the same pull too, a near tangible connection that existed between them both.

The fine-haired blonde reached towards his back and gently pried Hiyori's fingers from his shoulder, tangling his own with her instead as he laid their joined hands on the mattress. She clung onto him immediately, her passionate gaze fixed intently on him the entire while, and the intimacy was simply amazing. He kissed her again, and she responded with pure ardor, her body starting to quiver and tense anew as the intensity of their lovemaking started to overwhelm her once more.

"Shinji," she gasped out once more, this time in mild alarm, trying to quell his sexually stimulating movements against her, doing her best to forestall the swelling tide of her orgasm – it was coming on too fast, and he wasn't ready yet-

"Shh," he hushed her, softly soothing her rising discontent. "S'alright, luv. Let go."

"But yer not-" she shakily started out only for him to cut her off.

"I'm ready," he told her huskily, his tone becoming deeper with his own rising passion, kissing her lips briefly. "I've been ready for a long time, Hiyori. Come undone with me."

She trusted him – he had never led her wrongly in all the centuries that they had known each other, and he would not start now. Just like that, she put herself in his capable hands and stopped resisting the inevitable, and her wordless surrender and dependence on him were so completely satisfying that he felt himself reacting further to her – her body and soul, they were both his, and the knowledge was simply intoxicating.

Holding her close then, still joined intimately to her, he rolled them both onto their sides, tangling their legs together, the languid, sensual motions of his hips still unceasing against hers, and she was all that he could see, her flushed, needy features filling his immediate vision. Hiyori bit her lips, pressing up against her lover, her eyelids fluttering as her body responded more and more to his utterly irresistible actions, the carnal sensation of him filling her aching insides as he thrust in and out of her – she could not take it any longer. Her slender thigh that was draped over his started to tremble and jerk as her senses went into overdrive, her taut inner walls constricting and squeezing his rigid length helplessly, going haywire as pleasure inundated her entire being. She moaned his name softly as her body started to convulse, instinctively curling into his sleek rangy form, craving the intimacy of being held in his lean, muscular arms as they shared this intensely private moment.

The onset of her climax, the way she moved more urgently and feverishly against him as she was held in thrall by her own passion, quickly drove him to find his own release. It didn't take much – teasing her and touching her and just being around her when she was so amazingly affectionate were already more than enough to stoke his urge to be with her. The way her body was tightening around him, the rhythmic contractions of her inner walls clamping down helplessly around his length as her orgasm claimed her, they were more than enough – she was more than enough.

Surging deeply into her one last time and sheathing himself completely, he breathed out her name like a prayer even as he arched and felt his own climax overtake him, the experience so powerful that his vision blanked out for a brief moment from the quiet intensity of their lovemaking. He spilled his seed into her aching womb even as her body milked him eagerly for more of his essence, and for a long couple of minutes, neither spoke, their breathing quick and erratic as they simply gazed upon each other.

Once Shinji regained himself, he immediately pulled his lover under him once more, still intimately joined to her. Leaning in, he kissed her passionately and fiercely, overwhelming her with his affection before slowly pulling back to look at her. She looked beautifully dazed, her beloved features flushed and thoroughly loved, and at that moment, Shinji only had one thought in his mind. He immediately demanded.

"Marry me, Hiyori."

It took her a while to process what he had just said. Her catlike eyes immediately focused on him, and she appeared momentarily stunned.

Even though this wasn't the first time that he had hinted of marriage – he had mentioned something to that effect when she had first given herself to him – this was definitely the first time that he was being so direct and outright asking her to marry him. The ecstatic high from their lovemaking was starting to fade a little, and Hiyori hesitated, looking a bit uncertain as she stared up upon Shinji's intent features; this wasn't a vague proposal made in that lighthearted way like last time – he was perfectly serious this time.

Marriage was something that was so permanent. For beings like them who were so long lived, it might as well be a commitment that would last an eternity. With the wrong partner, it could mean a very long time of anguish and heartache…but-

But…if it was with the right one – one whom she loved deeply and who clearly loved her back in equal measure, if not even more – then a union like that could result in an infinite lifetimes' worth of bliss and happiness.

And Hiyori loved her dumbass baldy. And Shinji loved his monkey brat.

The smaller blonde was flushed in the face as she tried to look away from her significant other. She did not succeed obviously, as it was impossible to actually do so when he was so near, not to mention, she had never been able to ignore him, from the moment that they had first met centuries ago, till now.

"I-Idiot," she stuttered out at last, her small hands coming up to shove halfheartedly at his chest, blustering a lot as she did so. "The hell do ya think yer sayin'? I already told ya, if yer gonna ask, ya better do it properly-"

"I will," he told her, his lips quirking up slightly at her obviously flustered demeanor. "On one bended knee, with a ring in hand, with the sun setting in the background, all the romance ya want. Yer gonna belong 'ta me, luv, so consider this fair warnin'."

She felt herself warm even further at his words. Hiyori had to stop herself from blurting out that she didn't really need all the other frills and trappings – his sincerity and love were all that she had really wanted from the very beginning.

"…Maybe I won't mind belongin' 'ta ya," she mumbled, echoing his sentiments from earlier, before she quickly added. "Don't get any ideas, baldy – that's not a yes…yet…"

His smile widened at her typically tsundere response, and he had to bite back a chuckle at her gruff reply. "Yeah, well, but I'm not hearin' a 'no' either. So, what are yer thoughts of a spring weddin'?"

She made an indignant, muffled sound at the back of her throat then, starting to scowl at him. "Listen here, ya- Don't push yer luck!"

He really did laugh aloud then, delight and pure elation apparent in his low tenor. She could not be angry at him when he was like that, and his gaze was nothing but full of affection as he looked at her.

"I do love ya, brat."

"I know." Hiyori's face reddened.

"…I love ya too, dumbass."

::owari::

Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:

I can't believe this long ass, ridiculously mushy smut came outta me. If all that rampant fluff gave you cavities, join the club!

Though in my defense, this particular mini arc happened very late into this pair's already established relationship, so I suppose some leeway in terms of intimacy is expected, lol. Getting Hiyori to cooperate was seriously harder than trying to pull teeth, haha. Shinji really should not expect more of such casual declarations of love coming from Hiyori anytime soon – this chapter's amount of 'I love yous' is probably enough to cover the next five hundred years, going by Hiyori's standards! :D

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Anyhow! I'm glad to see this arc finally to its end! The next update will be the beginning of another new story arc. :)

Hope that all of you are doing well!

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Your reviews fuel my passion for writing. So please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-paws