Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Rosario Vampire. I am merely twisting the creator's vision into my own dream. If the supernatural, sexuality, or violence is offensive to you, than you should not read this.

Chapter 255

The Earthquake that had hit the region could have been much worse, but there were enough older buildings in the area that had simply been stressed too far, that the casualties were were high. With some of those buildings collapsing into the streets, and more than one bridge cracking and buckling, emergency services were facing a response challenge. Search and Rescue operations were going to be slowed down by the lack of access into the area. The National Police Agency and the Self Defense Force were called out in quantity to help out.

It was early spring and the weather was not cooperating. Rains and snow melt had the rivers running high. Cold weather mixed with the loss of utilities meant a lot of people were left without heat when they needed it. Tsukune and Inari stood with most of their classmates in a tent as they received their mission briefing.

It was the night watch that was getting ready to go out. The heavy equipment had not been sent in to clear the roads because of safety concerns, so the rescue workers were going to be going in on foot. With night falling, the emphases was on watching out for fires. Survivors might be tempted to start a fire to keep warm, but if it got out of hand there would be no fire trucks to help put it out. The night searchers were also instructed to watch for lights in the damaged buildings. Phone and cell service were out in the area, but somebody might have a flashlight, or just be using their cell phones as one. Everybody was cautioned to avoid heroics. If a survivor was found, the location needed to be reported, and the watch commander would decided if it was safe to attempt rescue, or to wait until daylight.

The night shift was only a third of the size of the day shift. Most of the work would be done during daylight hours, so most of the people would need to rest until morning. Tsukune and Inari had volunteered for the night shift because they knew that they were suited to the job. It also figured in that their class had been called out and arrived later than some of the other resources.

The briefing was short, emphasizing safety. For safety, people were to work in pairs. One radio was issued out to each pair. Everybody was issued a flashlight and a map. Each pair was also given a pack with emergency supplies. Nobody who knew them were surprised that Inari and Tsukune teamed up from the beginning.

XxxX

Tsukune and Inari were working as a part of a larger team, but that did not mean they were working with the same limitations. For one, they only used the flashlights so others could see them. Most of the time they were off to keep them from interfering with their night vision. When they were out of sight of the other search teams, Tsukune and Inari were free to use their gifts.

Searching took time. Building by building, each corner needed to be investigated. Just because a team had checked a building during the day did not mean that Tsukune and Inari could assume it was empty. With their special talents, they applied themselves to the search for survivors.

The first one they found was in a car mostly buried by a collapsed wall. The driver, a man, had been knocked out when the roof of the car had been smashed down. Every time he woke up, he had felt sick and dizzy from his concussion. Trapped, he dozed in and out. It had been the smell of sweat and urine that had attracted the attention of Inari's sensitive fox nose. Tsukune used his claws and strength to quickly dig the car out enough to rescue the man while Inari use the radio to call for a medical team to pick him up.

Once the first man was safely on a litter and being carried away, Tsukune and Inari resumed their searching. In addition to their own special attributes, Hiru and Furyu were also called upon to help. The familiars slipped through broken buildings, often bringing out trapped pets. They also brought out children, who were frightened but blessedly alive.

Survivors told stories of strange creatures coming to their rescue. Dragons made of smoke and shadows that pulled them through the darkness. An old couple, trapped on the third floor of a building, had been surprised by a man that had clawed through the wall to reach them. The door had been jammed by the building shifting, and their apartment was on the back side, where they had not seen the search teams during the day. Instead of forcing the door, their rescuer had torn his way through the thin plaster and lath walls, disturbing the building as little as possible.

A small girl had been trapped, her legs pinned by a cabinet that had fallen over. To weak and tired to do more than whimper, she had been found and comforted by a fluffy fox with six tails. After she had been rescued and taken to the treatment area, the little girl swore that the fox had sung to her.

When dawn came, Tsukune and Inari made their way back to the command center. They were wet and dirty, and tired from their night's labors. Answering their calls, medical teams had recovered eight wounded. Following the couple back to the command center were five more people, and almost a score of pets on leashes, that had not been seriously injured, only trapped and in need of guidance. Once Tsukune and Inari had gotten them free, they had waited until dawn so they could see well enough to walk to safety.

XxxX

The rescue and repair crews worked around the clock for days. When the search for survivors was officially called off, every building had been checked at least once. When Tsukune and Inari came back two mornings in a row with nothing more than some rescued pets, most of the searchers agreed that there were no more survivors to find. Some search teams had been coming back empty handed from every shift. Some, after one or two shifts coming up dry would suddenly find a survivor. When asked, the searches said that they had seen something or heard something out of place, including flickering lights that had no source. There were reports of whispered voices, chirping sounds, or even rocks banging together, but no explanation of who our how the sounds had been made. Mystery lights or phantom sounds, they lead rescuers to survivors.

Tsukune had called out to the local spirits for help. He had first glimpsed such things when he and Inari had visited that shrine a year before. It had taken him months of studying to understand what he had seen. He was still learning about them, and his own powers, but in an emergency, he had tried something he hoped would work. It turned out that their were many local spirits, too small and simple to be considered youkai, that Tsukune had been able to convince to help out. It had cost him a lot of packets of sugar from the meal tent, but he figured that if they had known what was going on, his fellow rescue workers would accept bitter tea and coffee as a fair price for saving lives.

XxxX

"Thank you all for all of your hard work," The situation commander said to the crowd of dirty and tired rescue workers. "We have been successful in saving many lives thanks to all of your efforts. As you return to your regular duties, you can all take pride in what you accomplished here. All of you, good work. Dismissed."

A tired cheer went up from the assembled men and women. With smiles, handshakes, and hugs, the crowd broke up and people went to gather their personal gear. Cars and buses waited to take people back to where they had been summoned from.

"I guess we can relax now," Inari said to Tsukune as they headed to where their motorcycles waited. "I bet you are looking forward to seeing Moka."

"Of course," Tsukune said. "But that is not my highest priority at the moment."

"It's not?" Inari blinked in surprise.

"I want to get clean," Tsukune declared. "I am going to stop at the first hotel with laundry service and get a room for the night."

"Oh?" Inair had thought for sure that her captain would hurry back to one of his lovers.

"And as a reward for all your hard work," Tsukune said with a crooked grin. "You can come with me."

"Really?" Inari perked up.

"Yes," Tsukune continued as he mounted Hiru. "For the bargain price of ten favor points, we can share a room and a bath."

Inari froze and gave Tsukune a dirty look. Tsukune knew exactly what he was doing. She had collected forty nine favor points. One more and she would have a chance to be his lover. If she accepted his offer, of a very clearly stated shared room and bath, she would be postponing her chance to make love with him for who knew how long. On the other hand, he was offering her a chance to be with him in a way that would help strengthen the personal relationship they shared.

"Tsukune..." Inari growled as she sat astride Furyu. "You stink."

"Is that a no then?" Tsukune taunted.

"No it's not," Inari shot him another dirty look.

XxxxxX

The hotel was a mid-range establishment. There was nothing romantic or exciting about its location. Its design was very utilitarian, for convenience rather than presentation. The room Tsukune rented was a double, furnished in western style. He ordered extra towels, robes, and made sure that laundry services and room service were available before signing in.

Inari remembered the room only because she was sharing the otherwise bland place with Tsukune. Once in the room, her captain emptied out his pockets and proceeded to put all of his dirty clothes into a laundry bag. Before Inari realized what he was doing, Tsukune was pulling on a robe to cover his bare body.

"Tsu... Tsukune..." Inari protested. "What are you doing?"

"I am getting ready for a bath," Tskune answered as if it was the most normal thing in the world. "But I want to make sure my laundry will get taken care of right away."

"Ahhh.." Inari was off balance by Tsukune's casualness.

"If you hurry up, I can take your laundry too," Tsukune added.

Inari did as he suggested. She quickly emptied her pockets and her travel bag, dumping all of her clothes into a laundry sack. While she was excited by the situation, she was also feeling nervous, because she had not taken the initiative. She undressed in stages and kept her back to Tsukune. When she had her top and bra of, she pulled on a robe before taking off everything else. She put the last of her clothes into the sack and handed it to Tsukune.

While he was taking the laundry to get cleaned, Inari tried to regain her mental balance. She went to the bathroom and started filling the bath. She also took a moment to check her image in the mirror. Taking a bath with Tsukune would be wonderful, but it would not be a good idea if she was too dirty to begin with. While she did a little pre-washing, she tried to think about the situation clearly. By the time Tsukune returned, Inari had some questions she wanted to ask.

"I'm back," Tsukune called out as he returned.

"I'm in the bathroom," Inari called back, trying to sound calm as her heart started to race. "You are just in time to wash my back." To match her words, Inari took off her robe and picked up a towel. She covered her lap as she sat on a stool. She hoped her nervousness didn't show as Tsukune entered the bathroom.

"Well for all of your hard work, washing your back is reasonable," Tsukune said. "Besides, I am hoping you will wash mine."

"Yes," Inari agreed.

As Tsukune settled in to wash her back, Inari was glad that he was behind her. She wanted to talk with him, but didn't think she would be able to with him being naked in front of her. To get the conversation going, she started with a question she thought she knew the answer to.

"Tsukune," Inari began. "Why did you invite me here?"

"Why do you think?" Tsukune asked as he washed her back.

"Because you're trying to be sneaky," Inari answered. "Because you knew I was almost to fifty favor points and you wanted to make me spend them."

"That's one reason," Tsukune agreed.

"What's another reason?" Inari questioned.

"I also wanted to offer you a reward," Tsukune said.

"You could have just given me one more point," Inari argued.

"I could have," Tsukune agreed. "But I had another reason for inviting you here."

"What was that?" Inari questioned.

"Tonight is going to be a test," Tsukune replied.

"A test?" Inari turned to look at him. "Why?"

"Inari," Tsukune said in a level voice as he rinsed out the washcloth he had been using on her back. "You are important to me, both personally and professionally. Before you earn those fifty points, and I know what you want to do with them, I want to be sure we can handle that kind of..."

"You want to make sure we can be lovers without messing up everything else," Inari finished for him.

"Yes," Tsukune replied with a stiff nod.

"Don't you trust me?" Inari asked, feeling a little hurt.

"I'm not sure I trust myself," Tsukune answered honestly.

That gave Inari pause. She realized that she had been thinking about what she wanted so much that she had forgotten what Tsukune might be feeling. Suddenly being alone and naked with him was not such an exciting thing.

"Would you like me to wash your hair?" Tsukune asked.

"Yes please," Inari nodded. She was glad for the attention, and for the delay in having to actually face her captain. She wanted a few minutes to think about her feelings for him.

It was strange, Inari reflected. She was often thinking about Tsukune, but now she wondered how much she had moved on from just having a crush on him to really being in love with him. She tried to think about his feelings, but Inari realized that maybe she had not been taking his feelings seriously enough. She wanted to make him happy, or at least keep him from being unhappy as best as she could.

As she thought about her relationships with Tsukune, he continued to wash her hair. Being with him, being able to share time with him made her happy. His fingers massaging her scalp and combing though her hair felt good, in a calming and soothing way.

"Inari..." Tsukune spoke gently.

"Hmmmm?" Inari responded, enjoying his presence and attention even while she worked to understand her own thoughts and feelings.

"You don't have to if you don't want to," Tsukune said. "But if you want to change your body, I can wash your fur as well. You earned the right to be spoiled a little."

Inari's body responded faster than she could think about it. It was almost like her human form was melted away. She shifted to her middle form, suddenly feeling warmer from her coat of fur. As Tsukune continued to wash her body, Inari was almost in a trance like state. His attention was so soothing.

Grooming behavior is something built in, programed into the the nature of humans and all land mammals. It is a biologically preset bonding behavior. It helps support connections between parents and offspring, and between mates or close companions. It is seen as a sign of affection by people who watch animals grooming each other in the wild, but it is also practiced among modern humans as well. These facts were not going through the minds of Tsukune and Inari however. For Tsukune, it felt good to reward Inari for her hard work and loyalty. He liked that he had a chance to do something for her that he knew had meaning behind it. He was showing that he cared about her and accepted her for all of who and what she was. For Inari the grooming made her feel safe, and even cared for. There was an intimacy to the act that made her feel good deep inside. While she enjoyed the attention in her nearly trance-like relaxation, she was aware that it was Tsukune that was making her feel good, and he was doing it knowingly.

Inari was caught up in the moment. She relaxed on the bath stool and savored the soothing attention that Tsukune was giving her body. Without realizing it she even leaned back into him as his hands worked from her shoulders down her arms. Her mind drifted between remembering the times she had shared with Tsukune and her fantasies about him. Through her relaxed fog a new thought burned to clarity.

One of Inari's favorite fantasies had always been that after working a hard and exciting case with her captain they would recover from it by being lovers. She and her captain had just come from a hard mission. The work of search and rescue had been hard all by its self. She and Tsukune had pushed themselves hard, even pushing their extra-human natures to help rescue survivors. But not all of the people that had found had survived. Sometimes saving a child had meant digging past their fallen parents or siblings. Now, after a hard mission, she and Tsukune were alone in a hotel.

Inari became aware of Tsukune all over again. How close he was to her. How strong his energy was flowing through him. His hands were gently massaging her as he washed her fur. Inari's eyes snapped open as she became more aware of herself. She could feel the weight of the water matting down her fur where Tsukune had already washed her, or at least the water and shampoo had run down her body. The only parts of her body that he seemed to have missed were her chest and inner thighs. At that moment he was washing out her tails.

With a moment of concentration she willed her tails to move. She didn't have a lot of strength in her tails, but she had more command over them than some would expect. She gently wrapped her wet and soapy tails around Tsukune's torso.

"Hey," Tsukune protested mildly.

"It's my turn to wash your back," Inari said, sitting up and pulling away from him.

"Alright," Tsukune replied. He turned about on his stool when Inari's tails pulled free of him.

Inari turned to face Tsukune's back, and froze. Inari realized how much Tsukune was trusting her. She realized how much she was sharing with her. With the exception of her one confused morning, Inari had never really had a chance to see Tsukune's body. Now it was just the two of them. Inari realized how much of a test Tsukune was giving her.

Inari started by rinsing Tsukune's back with warm water. As she took up a soapy washcloth to start washing his back she was aware of how strong his scent was in the closed space of the warm bathroom. Looking at his strong, scar covered back, her hands started to tremble. Inari had to take a deep breath and concentrate for an instant.

"Yosh..." She breathed, starting to work on Tsukune's shoulders.

Inari could not believe how hard it was to wash Tsukune's back. She was at war with her own desires as she worked. She wanted to run her fingers over his scars, counting them and learning their locations. She longed to ask him the story behind each one, to learn more about him in even the smallest detail. She also wished that she could scrub the scars away, washing away the reminders of how badly he had been injured. She cringed at the thought of how much he had to have suffered to have such a collection of scars on his back.

With determination Inari applied herself to washing Tsukune's back. His shoulders and back moved under her hands as he washed himself in front. She thought that she was handling the situation well, in spite of her own desires. But then she reached his lower back and saw the scar on his right side. It was a jagged star, the exit wound from being stabbed clean through. Inari could suddenly remember the burning pain that had stabbed into her own body. Inari remembered the moment that her life had been changed, and the future that was forever denied her. She remembered how she felt when the doctor had told her the news. Suddenly Inari wanted to cry.

Inari dropped the washcloth and reached out to hold Tsukune. She pressed her front against his back and grabbed him around the middle in a tight hug. Before she could stop herself, a choked sob escaped her.

The damn broke. Inari felt her emotions rush out of her in a flood of tears. All of it was rushing through her mind. She would never get to be a mother. She would never be able to measure up to the other women in Tsukune's life. Beside her own feelings of being incomplete, everything from the past week was also coming through. The anxiety of the search and the moments of fear while checking damaged buildings. The dead... Inari had tried to be calm, to be confident, but there had been dead bodies in some of those buildings. One woman had died when a store shelf had collapsed on top of her, breaking her neck. She had had been trying to protect her own child from that very same shelf that had killed her, but the child had been trapped, smothered under her mother's body.

Tsukune was only a little surprised by Inari's break down. He had seen the same dark things as she had. He had felt the sense of powerlessness as he moved the remains of a pregnant woman to find a toddler to tired or frightened to cry. There had been rage in his heart when he found evidence of looting just meters away from where someone had died. He had hoped to use the night with Inari to help her, and himself, talk about what they had seen, and to help each other cope with it all.

Tsukune did not pull away from Inari when she grabbed onto him and started to cry. He was her captain, her leader and lord. Inari needed him to be strong and calm. He let her cry without criticism. When her grip around him loosened, he turned sideways to her, so he could offer her a supportive hug. As she cried, he simply waited, being there for her as she let her emotions out.

X

"I'm sorry," Inari sniffed some time later.

"It's alright," Tsukune said. "You needed to let some things out. There is nothing wrong with that."

"I just feel..." She sniffed again.

"Inari," Tsukune said gently. "I know what its like to be powerless. I can't help but think how many more people could have been saved, if only we had moved a little faster, or if we could have called in our friends from the Student Police. I hate being forced to hold back when I know I can do more. It's almost as bad as having to wait and watch because there is nothing that I can do no mater how much I want to." He caressed her head and planted a kiss on her nose. "You held up under everything when you needed to, and I am proud of you for it."

"Really?" Inari sniffed.

"That's a part of the reason I brought you here," Tsukune said. "So you and I can share our feelings about what happened, about what we saw. Nobody will see it if we let our guard down for a little while." He offered Inari a bright smile. "It is hard to act tough and invulnerable when you're taking a bath." He reached for the washing nozzle and started to rinse the soap from her fur.

The grooming behavior soothed Inari once more. It calmed her and helped her gather her thoughts. The warm water and Tsukune's stroking hand rinsed her fur clean. She helped by smoothing her hands down her front while Tsukune aimed the nozzle down from her shoulders. Rinsing off was a relaxed act of partnership between them. Once the water was running clear from her, Inari took the nozzle and held it for Tsukune. Soon they were both clean and soap free.

"Let's take a bath, and then see about getting something to eat," Tsukune suggested.

"Alright," Inari nodded.

Tsukune climbed into the bathtub first. Inari allowed herself to admire his body, trying to not get caught up in her feelings again as she saw the many scars on his front. She was about to step into the bath when she paused.

"You were trying to trick me, weren't you," Inari accused.

"What do you mean?" Tsukune asked.

"You know what I'm talking about," Inari shot him a dirty look. "But I'm on to you now." She concentrated and resumed her human form. "You were trying to not see me as a woman."

"That was never what I was trying to do," Tsukune defended himself.

"Hrmph..." Inari, took her time climbing into the bath and lowering her naked body into the hot water.

"Tsukune..." Inair asked playfully once she was seated facing him. "Do you think I am pretty?"

"Yes," Tsukune said simply.

"As pretty as..." Inari started.

"Don't," Tsukune cut her off. "Do not ask me to compare you to anybody else. You are who you are, and that's what counts."

"I was just wondering," Inari said with a small pout. "I mean, I want to be attractive..."

"You are," Tsukune cut her off again.

"But do you find me attractive?" Inari pressed.

"Yes I do," Tsukune said.

"Then why don't you ever act like it?" Inari questioned.

"What do you want me to do?" Tsukune asked.

"I don't know," Inari huffed. "Tell me I'm pretty once in a while. Kiss me without it being some kind of reward or business arrangement. Take me out on a date."

"Alright," Tsukune said.

"What?" Inari blinked.

"We will go out some time," Tsukune explained.

"We will?" Inari asked, doubting her good luck. "You're serious?"

"Yes, I am serious," Tsukune answered. "I don't know when, but some day soon I will take you out on a date."

"Yes..." Inari paused. She gave Tsukune a thoughtful look. "What kind of date? It isn't going to be another working lunch is it?"

"No," Tsukune offered her a smile. "It will be a normal date. The kind of date our classmates have. Nothing crazy or extreme, or directly related to work. I promise."

"Yes," Inari cheered. She repositioned herself in the bath to be close to Tsukune. "But you're not going to charge me any favor points for the date are you?"

"I wasn't planing to," Tsukune grinned. "But now that you mention it..."

Inari punched him in the shoulder.

XxxxxxX

Inari was happy with how her night with Tsukune had turned out. Her trip with Tsukune had been difficult in more ways than one, but she felt that it had been worth it. She was confident that she would be a stronger woman for what she had seen and done. She would have a better understanding of the commitment needed to be a police officer, to be someone others looked up to for support and guidance. She was also sure that her relationship with Tsukune had grown stronger. She knew that she felt like they had grown closer.

After their bath, Inari and Tsukune had just relaxed around the room together. Dinner was by room service. They ate and talked while lounging in their robes. Tsukune was used to being with his lovers and servants, so his modesty had been worn down. He didn't seem concerned about how much chest and leg he kept flashing. At one point Inari had tried to tease him by pulling on his robe. She was disappointed that he didn't protest or flinch away. Instead he gave her a stern look as he untied his robe to straighten it and retied it again, which meant he also gave Inari a flash of his full front. Inari on the other hand found Tsukune's casual confidence very stimulating. Her body felt warm, and her imagination kept flashing ideas through her mind. She had her own robe closed enough to cover the peeks of her breasts, but was showing skin all the way down to the waist. She caught Tsukune looking her over enough to feel some confidence in her sexiness.

After eating, while Inari was visiting the water closet, Tsukune got comfortable on one of the beds, with his legs under the blanket, to watch some television. When Inari saw what he was doing, she climbed onto the bed beside him. Tsukune simply put an arm around her shoulders and turned on the news.

When Inari woke up in the morning she thought for a moment that she was still dreaming. She had fallen asleep beside Tsukune while watching the news on television. Instead of waking her up, Tsukune had simply pulled up the blankets and gone to sleep next to her. Inari remembered , in that space between sleeping and being fully awake, feeling warm and safe. When she opened her eyes, her head was on Tsukune's chest. She could feel as much as hear the steady beating of his heart. She snuggled closer to him with a happy sigh, content to enjoy her dream.

Inari liked the position she was in. Her leg was over Tsukune's. She brought her knee up as she snuggled closer. The feel of his skin against her inner thigh was nice. Her hand slid over his abdomen and she could feel the texture of his scars under her fingertips.

"Morning," Tsukune said in a low voice that seemed to rumble in his chest.

Inari froze for an instant, coming wide awake. She realized that it wasn't a dream, and that Tsukune was awake beside her. She lifted her head and tried to look up at him.

"Good morning," She offered with a nervous smile.

"Did you sleep well?" Tsukune asked.

"If I say no, can I stay like this for a few more hours?" Inari asked hopefully.

"I don't think so," Tsukune replied with a smile.

Xx

Tsukune got out of bed first, to answer the call of nature. Inari watched him and saw that his robe had become undone in his sleep. Her own, a quick check informed her, was also pulled open, with the sash still tied around her waist. She finally abandoned the warmth of the bed to answer nature's call while Tsukune was out to collect their clean laundry.

Inari received a little bonus that morning after Tsukune came back. He laid out what he was going to wear for the trip home and packed up the rest of his things. After that he took a quick shower. Because Tsukune did not have a lot of modesty, and they were clearly off duty, Inari was given a chance to just admire him as he showered and dressed.

Tsukune explained that it would not be a good idea for him to return home to Moka, without washing up, after spending a night with Inari holding him. Inari had been aware of Tsukune's scent all morning, in the bedding and on herself. She realized that her own scent would have to be all over Tsukune as well. While she liked the idea of marking Tsukune as hers in some way, having his jealous vampire fiancee angry with her would not be a good thing.

Inari was still in a good mood when she returned to her small apartment later that morning. Tsukune had parted with her at the elevator with a small kiss and a hug before going up to his own apartment. Inari put up her things and started preparing something to eat with a smile on her face. Especially after the work they had done together, Inari felt that she was having one of the best mornings of her life.

XxxXxXxX

Moka was glad to have Tsukune home. He told her about the trip, and about the people they had been able to save. He talked about how he had been able to connect with the local spirits to gain their help. Moka listened as he shared details about searching though the nights.

Tsukune kissed her and thanked her for her support. He admitted that if he had never had the good fortune to meet her, and had gone through all the things he had since then, he would have never been able to help out the way he had. Because of her, he had the physical strength and endurance to save lives. Because of the life he had lived since meeting her, Tsukune had grown the confidence to become someone that could rescue others.

Moka disagreed with a lot of what Tsukune was giving her credit for. The day they had met, even after telling her he didn't want to be with her and that he was running away, Tsukune had shown he had what it takes to save others. He had put his life at risk to help her in spite of his own fears and limitation. She knew that it was his own heart that made him the success he was trying to give her credit for. Moka disagreed with Tsukune, but it was nice to hear him praise her so highly.

After an early lunch together, Moka and Tsukune had to turn their attentions to their separate responsibilities. Moka had studying to do. Tsukune needed to check his emails and messages to find out what he missed out on while he had been away. They parted company with a kiss before spending their afternoons with books and assignments.

XxxXxxxX

"Ruby..." Tsukune called out gently as he emerged from his den. He had mostly caught up on his assignments, and had even sent a message to Mizore to let her know that he was alive and well. Kurumu had been glad to get his call, and promised that she would find the time to see him soon. With his responsibilities under control at the moment, there was something personal he needed to take care of.

"Master?" Ruby appeared, still holding a shirt she had been embroidering.

"Ruby," Tsukune instructed. "I am ready for a bath, and I will want your company tonight."

"Yes, Master," Ruby said with a perfect curtsy, feeling herself smiling.

It turned out that what Tsukune wanted from her was not what she had expected. After a quick bath together, Tsukune sat down with her on the edge of the bed, and then he started to talk. He had not wanted Ruby's company for her body, but for her confidence.

It had taken Tsukune time to get used to his relationship with Ruby. It had taken more time to understand it. The truth was that Ruby, his servant, his slave, was the one he could most trust with all of his personal needs. Right then, what Tsukune needed was someone to talk with. Just as he had been there for Inari when she needed to let things out, Tsukune needed Ruby.

Tsukune did not go into details. He just talked about what he had seen, and smelled, and done, in general terms. He shared enough for Ruby to understand why he needed her company. Simply, with Ruby, Tsukune did not need to always be strong. Ruby was the one that he could trust to keep his secrets even from Moka and the others. And when he needed someone to hold his hand as he talked about his fears and emotional pains, he could trust Ruby to be there for him.

X

Ruby had listened to Tsukune as he let out his fears and feelings. She held his hand and showed that she cared. Ruby felt bad for Tsukune, because of what he had to endure, because of how he had to make himself be strong and confident even when he was hurting inside. But as she cuddled close to him for the night, Ruby felt happy, because Tsukune had chosen her when he needed someone to talk to. He had chosen her to share his feelings, his heart with.