Author's Note: Since we're about halfway through the story, I just wanted to make a shout-out to those who leave behind encouraging comments and reviews. Thank you to the following (in no particular order): Sasha88, reader101, Saint Sita, recchinon, al2010, LoVe23, naleah, Impassive sky, Bleach94, Ermilus, racesa36, BrokenAngelWings83, OrihimeKurosakiInoue, Captain Levi, AnimaAmore, sunflowerspot, IchiHimelover86, Ninja99, MissLadyK18, nypsy, melnel, MoonlightRurouni, killroy225, Perfect Beauty, tanakasenseis, Simply Delicious 2.0, 19Teardrop94, RainingLight1, Mitsukistar, Cophy, qq, sorakun9, ichihime shaz, serpenscape, La Mesa Bandgeeks15, Alpha x Omega, The0Blind0Writer, djjfcdjvfjbfjbvjjnvjvfnj, PolystyreneTears, and Ramune Hyped. As you did before, please read, review - and most importantly - enjoy!
Disclaimer: All characters belongs to Tite Kubo.
Chapter 20 – Bitter Betrayal
"I can't believe you're acting in such a manner towards your own wife!" Rangiku voiced her frustrations to her husband. Gin had traveled to the Inoue Palace alone for a small business trip on behalf of his corrupted leader Aizen. As soon as Rangiku had notified the Navy Admiral of the unfortunate mishaps that had been occurring at the residence without her prior knowledge of them happening, Ichimaru promised he would visit as quickly as possible. In her own private thoughts, the strawberry blonde hoped her newly wedded groom was taking a trip down simply because he was concerned for her own well-being. However, much to her dismay, he had journeyed far from the capital only because he was ordered by Aizen to collect Grimmjow and Ulquiorra from Karakura. In addition, he was to provide his ship to take Orihime and her council—as well as the criminal Ichigo and his father—to the capital where the trial was to be held in the coming days.
"I did not come here to argue with you," the man tried to alleviate the tension as they occupied the ledge outside the palace, "After all, I'm doing what is in the best interest for the both of us".
Regardless of the lies he was spoon-feeding to her, Rangiku was more furious over the fact that her husband—with whom she assumed she could rely on—had done reckless things behind her back. Truthfully, it had felt like he had gone against her, even though they were supposed to be on the same team as they were a married couple.
Retreating back inside her bedroom from the balcony, the curvaceous woman needed to start to pack for the long journey ahead to the Imperial Family. However, she still did not feel satisfied with the conversation at hand. This was their first fight as husband and wife and it was certainly exhausting to keep hashing it out with one another. Even with this in mind, Orihime's relative could not let her husband get away with an insignificant scolding.
Turning back on her heels to lock eyes with Gin on the veranda, Rangiku strutted right up to the man with a stern finger pointed at him, "Do you honestly think it was in our best interest to have my niece raped by a boy she barely knows? Or how about having your henchmen kill an innocent man and fake his death as a suicide? And let's not forget one of them pushing her down the stairs!"
No matter how her husband would try to spin the truth and attempt to convince her it was for the greater good, Matsumoto was starting to truly understand for the first time since her wedding night that the man she had married was blinded by his gross devotion to Aizen Sousuke. In the beginning, she thought the two were an unusual pair. Consequently, Gin was the son of a man who held a lot of power in the country and was well-respected by the Kuchiki Family. His father being the Navy Admiral was one of the most elite positions a person could ever possess besides being crowned.
Aizen, on the other hand, was a mysterious individual who did not provide many details about his upbringing. With little knowledge of him, Rangiku could loosely decipher for herself that he was most likely not of royal descent. Instead, he had involved Gin because he knew of the status he would soon come to inherit from his father, Hisao. Once her husband relieved his parent of his duties, then he was to become one of the most powerful men in the country.
Unfortunately, this only increased her concern for Gin. Where had the man she had fallen in love with go so suddenly? Her heart could only handle so much for his sake.
"Please, my darling," Ichimaru offered his snake-like grin to console his wife, "I know what I am doing may not seem ideal, but it will all pay off in the end for us".
As he said this, a warm summer breeze passed between the two of them, casually lifting Gin's silver hair and capturing the sunlight in the individual strands. His turquoise eyes were visible to her, but only for a brief second or two. It was rare when she got to see his true expression, for he always hid himself behind his hair. And yet, Rangiku thought she caught a small glimpse of the husband with whom used to make her laugh until dawn broke across the clear night sky when they courted each other way back when. It almost felt like returning home, but still not quite like how it used to be between them.
Fighting back the tears which had gradually started to form, Rangiku flung herself into Gin's chest and wrapped her arms around his waist tightly.
"Hey, hey," Aizen's right hand man cooed as he held her, "What's this all about? You're acting as if I'm heading off to war or somethin', honey".
Burying her nose deeper into him, Rangiku's muffled voice whimpered, "That's because you are".
"Who said that?" he asked, pulling back and grasping her shoulders roughly.
"No one," she sniffled, drying her tears with the back of her arm, "But I don't know how much more of this I can take!"
Gin sighed and soundlessly worked his jaw in thought for a moment, "Then what is it that you have me do?"
Without looking at her husband, Rangiku mumbled under her breath, "Leave him".
"I cannot do that!" he raised his voice, "So you can just eliminate that thought from your mind!"
It was not what she wanted to hear from him. By some small sliver of hope, Rangiku secretly wished she could change her husband's stance on Aizen, but the decision was not one she could fight. The man had already established control over Gin and she regretfully could not reel him back to the world of reality.
With little options left at her disposal, Rangiku no longer felt as if she could continue to be by Gin's side. Now that he had proven to her how obsessed he had become with power, Matsumoto was at a loss.
However, one thing she knew for certain was that she needed to be the responsible adult in this situation, despite her playful demeanor at heart. The several incidents which had occurred against Orihime were unimaginable and unsightly. As her only blood-relative left to their family name, Rangiku was meant to look after the young maiden and provide her with guidance and nurture her unlike the mother who had mistreated her. Yet, here she was, performing similar acts against her beautiful niece. She had to be the one to break the cycle. It would not stop if she did not put her foot down—or worse—until the Princess had been killed by someone else's evil hand.
"I'm not sure what sort of hold Aizen has over you, but I can no longer support you in your endeavors," Rangiku finally said the words she had been holding back since the start of their conversation.
"Exactly what are you implying?" Gin asked for clarification, his expression seeming pained.
"I'm leaving you to protect Orihime," Matsumoto established, beginning to turn away from her husband.
In spite of her blunt confession, before she could make her way back into her corridors, a forceful hand grabbed her arm and whirled her around. With her arm suspended in the air, Rangiku's hazel eyes glanced back and forth between Gin and his hand that grasped her tightly within his clutch.
"You're making a huge mistake," the slithery man offered his earnest advice to her.
Mrs. Ichimaru struggled against the hold of her husband, "Let go of me!"
"If you do this, I can't promise you that you'll be safe from him," Gin warned her as he released Rangiku's arm.
Smoothing out her dress after their brief altercation, the married maiden hesitated to meet the eyes of man she loved through her blurry vision. She understood it would be hard separating from him, but she needed to make things right with Orihime. The young girl would soon be taking over the throne and before that can happen, the trial must be concluded first. As her only relative left in their bloodline, Rangiku was going to remain by her niece's side—for better or for worse.
"No matter what you say," the woman threatened, looking over past Gin's shoulders and out at the surrounding forest, "You will not scare me. I know deep down, you only want to do right by me. You're not an evil person and when you finally arrive at your senses, I'll be waiting for you to return".
Picking up her dress skirts, the woman hurried back inside and left Gin on the veranda to his own secluded and demented world.
It was Orihime's first time on a ship. It was nothing as she expected, but it was an experience nonetheless. When her eyes initially fell upon the floating vessel, she was amazed by its vast size. She did not know something of that magnitude could be made by the hands of simple humans such as herself. It certainly caught her attention when they arrived at the harbor after traveling for four days straight by horse and carriage. The days getting there had been drawn out and over-heated. Towards the end of the journey, everybody's patience was beginning to wear.
However, once they reached the oceanfront, many were relieved for that meant the end was in sight. After boarding the ship, Orihime wishfully thought she'd be able to catch a glimpse of Ichigo as he was brought onto the deck. Unfortunately, her friends whisked her away before she could even encounter the boy who had been on her mind twenty-four hours of the day.
As she began to tire for sleep, the Princess of Karakura headed up to the deck to witness the clear night sky in all of its beautiful glory. Surprisingly, when she approached the top level of the ship, there was barely anyone around. Pausing on the staircase, Orihime searched the floor for any familiar faces.
Not recognizing a single soul out of the few that were there, the aristocrat began to retreat back down when she felt her backside bump into an unidentifiable mass of muscle. Quickly righting herself within the small space, Orihime profusely apologized as she turned around to make eye contact with the person she had not seen in her way.
"Abarai-san?!" she gasped as soon as she noticed the long red hair of the individual.
"Good evening, Your Majesty. I hope I didn't scare you too bad," Renji chuckled as he looked up at her from above.
"Oh no!" the maiden blushed, "It was my fault completely, I wasn't paying attention to where I was going".
The peasant outstretched his hand, "Need some help getting down?"
"Yes, please," Orihime said with gratitude as she seized the firm hand to grab onto as she descended the wobbly stairs.
When she reached the second level, she nervously found herself observing the closed area around the two of them, unsure of who may be watching. She most certainly did not want to get Renji in trouble for speaking with her.
Taking note of the Princess' peculiar behavior, Renji attempted to break the awkwardness with a simple question, "What were you doing up there by yourself?"
Orihime's head whipped forwards, "I just wanted to get some fresh air before I go to bed".
For some reason, the nineteen-year-old was not believing what he was hearing from the younger girl's mouth. He raised an eyebrow and leaned in closer to her as a sly smirk spread across his face.
He cupped his lips to prevent others nearby from listening in, "You were hoping to see Ichigo, weren't you?"
Once the name was said out loud, Orihime's recuperating body stiffened on the spot. How could have Renji guessed so accurately what was weighing on her mind? It wasn't as if she had really had a deep conversation with him before today. In fact, she barely knew much about him other than that he was Ichigo's best friend. And yet, the eldest of the two was swift to take a gander at what it was she was thinking about when she headed out to the deck. Obviously, she was not going to deny her desire to see the boy. She just wouldn't do it.
"I haven't seen him since that day he tried...," her voice trailed off, her eyes dropping to the creaking floorboards.
Knowing exactly what day she was referring to, Renji withdrew from her and rested his back against the wall, allowing her all the space she needed as she privately reflected in her head. He could see how much Ichigo losing his self on her had effected the relationship they were beginning to build. It wasn't something that could be easily forgiven—at least in Abarai's opinion. However, the Princess appeared desperate before him. She wanted more than anything to see Ichigo prior to the trial and his sentencing. Furthermore, being Ichigo's confidant definitely made him a resource to her. Aside from Isshin, Renji was her next best choice in getting to visit the exiled adolescent.
Releasing a heavy sigh, the man with the uniquely colored hair disclosed, "I've seen him since we've been on the boat. I know where they're keeping him".
The aristocrat's eyes brightened upon the news that was secretly shared between the two, "Would you be able to get me to see him without the guards noticing?"
"I'm not sure," Renji admitted, "I might have to get his father involved. His room is set up close to where they've got Ichigo".
The Princess' bottom lip protruded outwards as she rested her chin on her hand and crossed her other arm across her stomach, "I don't want you to risk getting hurt or something worse".
Renji waved off her concern with a proud smile, "I'm not worried about getting caught. I've stolen from plenty of people in the past without them ever catching me".
Somehow, by him telling her that small bit of information, it only heightened her anxiety.
"I probably should not have told you that," the peasant uttered under his breath, "But don't worry, Ichigo never stole from anyone! He was a good kid".
Orihime giggled into her hand as she watched the friend become flustered from his surprising revelation. It was good to let out a laugh every now and then, especially since she did not frequently find herself doing so as much as she used to prior to the assault happening. It was difficult to be happy, especially because she was unable to meet with Ichigo. She became accustomed to seeing him every few days, but a whole week had gone by and she had not spotted even a single hair on Ichigo's head.
All things considered, being away from him felt like a punishment.
"Hey listen," Renji said urgently, "If you go back to your room, I can probably help Ichigo and you finally meet without any problems. However, keep in mind it won't be a long visit, so you may want to prepare in your head what you want to say to him".
The nineteen-year-old began to gently urge her to proceed along the swaying hallway as he checked over his shoulders for any witnesses.
"How will I know it's you?" Orihime questioned as she began to move her feet in the direction of her bed chambers.
"I'll knock five times," the fiery red-head made up on the spot, "Don't worry, you'll know. I'll see you in a little bit".
Not giving the Princess a chance to thank him for his efforts, Renji darted down the corridor and disappeared into the darkness.
She did not remember how many minutes had passed since departing from Abarai after he concocted a plan to have Ichigo and Orihime meet. Nevertheless, as time ticked by with each breath she took, the aristocrat began to realize for herself how overwhelmed she had become following her abrupt decision to see the peasant boy. She was unable to keep her thoughts in order. However, she did want to have some things already established in advance for when the pair reunited. Most of all, she desired to get her honest feelings across to Ichigo—with or without fail.
It had taken her awhile to come to the conclusion. While the sexual assault against her was traumatizing and morally-demeaning for someone of her status, Orihime could not let Ichigo Kurosaki be punished unfairly for a crime he was not lucid of committing. Moreover, she learned how hurtful the entire situation had been for the seventeen-year-old through his father. Despite only getting to know Isshin in a short time, the Princess sensed she could trust the man who vowed to protect his son to the very end.
Although even she could not predict what would happen at the trial, Orihime would not allow the court to come down harshly on the boy. With him being a peasant, it certainly added more scrutiny to the case than usual.
As Orihime nervously paced the ship's floor in her bedroom, her concentration was shattered when she heard five swift taps on her door.
Slightly jumpy from the suddenness of it all, the maiden timidly called out to the hallway, "You may enter".
The handle rotated in one direction and unlocked the latch inside. The door swung to the side and standing in the entry way were two faces she immediately recognized—Renji and Isshin. They quickly stepped out of the way and Orihime's eyes refocused on the tall figure whose face was shadowed by the darkness of the corridor. She clutched her hands to her chest as she waited for the individual to come inside. After a few seconds of silence had passed, the person finally sauntered into the room. When the light from the candles highlighted his rough exterior, Orihime's heart raced from the spectacle.
In that moment, everything seemed to freeze in place—everyone except Ichigo that is.
The world appeared ten times brighter now that she was standing before him.
It seemed like months had gone by since he had seen her enchanting smile. Yet, it was only a matter on seven days or so when they last had been in the same room together. Considering how things took a left turn during the investigation period following her rape, he firmly believed she'd never want to see his face ever again. Truthfully, he would be content with that rational response. He did not want to cause her any more pain than already been inflicted upon her. Although not being able to say he was sorry to her directly was extremely difficult, taking into account his prideful demeanor. Either way, he was confident in the fact that she was completely finished with him.
He continually repeated that line of thinking until Isshin returned from his meeting with Orihime with relatively surprising news. The Princess wanted to resolve the issue at hand and she did not blame any of what occurred between them on Ichigo. The relief of hearing she was not spiteful towards him revitalized his entire being.
Following his father's uplifting message, he was visited by the detective who instilled more fear into him with troubling information than previous. She had proudly felt the need to boast how they would be transporting him by boat to get to the capital and he would be tried like the criminal that he is. A day later, his hands and legs were shackled and was shoved into a carriage he was to share with his father.
When they stopped at the shoreline to board, he was forcefully pulled from the carriage. As soon as his feet hit the ground, a guard came up behind him and threw a hood over his head. Isshin did not understand the brutality and demanded the hood be taken off immediately. No one paid any attention to the physician. They proceeded up the walkway to the ship and brought Ichigo to his room as they were instructed. The men removed the heavy fabric and walked out without a single word being exchanged.
Of course, his freedom was confiscated even on the vessel. Guards were posted outside his door at all times. Luckily, Renji and his father were allowed to visit him. Although, when his best friend stopped by for the first time all day, he disclosed to Ichigo that he had stumbled across the Princess in the hallway and they had a short and sweet conversation. The discussion led to a plan that was orchestrated by his red hair companion.
Consequently, here he was, a liberated man for the time being. Nothing felt more exhilarating. In addition, he hoped Orihime's feelings would coincide with his own.
Naturally, the initial seconds were nerve-wracking. No matter how much he worked his brain, he could not prepare himself for what lied ahead. In any case, he did not intend to leave things as they were. He had to make things better.
However, before he could utter out a word himself, Orihime beat him to the punch.
"Ichigo," the maiden exhaled breathlessly, her eyes beginning to brim with tears.
The sudden mention of his first name caught the peasant off guard. Since the start of the competition, Orihime never called him anything but Kurosaki-kun. Furthermore, no one had ever formally addressed him before with proper honorifics beside his sisters. During the initial stages, it took some getting used to when the Princess acknowledged him as such. Over time, it began to grow on him. Also, it was only a little over a week ago that he had called her by her first name.
Hearing her say Ichigo almost felt like a compliment and he was nonetheless admittedly flattered.
"Hey," he managed to croak out, "It's good to finally see you after all that's happened".
Without giving any indication of her next actions ahead of time, Princess Inoue quickly closed the small gap between them by throwing her arms around Ichigo's neck. A little shocked by the bold gesture, the exhausted boy hesitated with his hands. His eyes drifted to the side of where his father and friend stood nearby.
Renji coughed awkwardly before saying, "We'll be outside".
Consequently, Isshin inserted as he closed the door behind him, "Starting now, you have about 15 minutes".
When the two of them were finally left alone, Ichigo hugged Orihime's waist and instantly relaxed in her arms. He did not want to let go of her. After all, who knew when would be the next opportunity before the trial?
"You called me Ichigo," he whispered to her as they broke apart from their long overdue embrace.
Feeling a little bashful from the incident, she fumbled over her words, "W-were...you...surprised?"
He lightheartedly chuckled and smiled, "I was a little more than surprised, but I appreciate it. I thought the day would never come since you seemed so hesitant".
Pleased to know that the seventeen-year-old was grateful for her courage, Orihime's stomach began to experience a fluttery sensation. Since it had been a handful of days of little contact between the two, the maiden was overcome with joy that Ichigo was with her. However, this raised a certain question she had weighing on her mind.
"How did you not get caught leaving your room?" she asked worriedly.
Ichigo held up a finger to his lips, "It's a secret I'll save for another day since we don't have much time together".
As Ichigo grabbed Orihime's hand and led her to the small bed, the young girl brought up what Isshin mentioned earlier, "What did your father mean by when he said you have 15 minutes?"
When the couple sat on the edge of the mattress, the atmosphere in the room suddenly became quite serious. From what the Princess could observe, Ichigo was contemplating what to say to her as several emotions flickered across his face.
Only desiring for him to be honest with her, the aristocratic girl gently cradled both of Ichigo's hands and gave them a reassuring squeeze as they sat facing each other. She patiently withheld from posing more questions for she desperately wished to hear Ichigo voice his thoughts to her more than ever.
Finally connecting his chocolate eyes with her hazel ones, the peasant straightened out from his slumped position and continued to hold Orihime's hands within his own.
"The night of the attack, I have no recollection of," he struggled to admit, "Shirosaki had complete control over my body and he used me to hurt you. When I awoke the next day, I was naked and I was unable to put the pieces together. Truthfully, I thought Renji pulled a prank on me".
"Things only got more complicated from there. When we all gathered inside your bedroom and found out you had been...raped...I didn't want to believe something as revolting as that had happened to you—much less think I had anything to do with it. Up until the point I approached you to take my picture, I was fully conscious of my surroundings and the situation at hand".
Orihime intently listened on as Ichigo poured out his heart to her for the first time since the treacherous night in question. Regardless of the teenager's crime, the Princess was not aiming to brand the boy as a monster. While he did harbor one inside of him, the person she had fallen in love with did not share Shirosaki's cruelty nor the ability to destroy everything he touched. The peasant boy whom she experienced her first kiss with was a different being separate from his demented counterpart. She wasn't going to give up fighting for his innocence. The pureblooded individual would not turn her back on him no matter the dangerous circumstances she could unknowingly face on her own.
Unable to stay silent for much longer, Orihime blurted without a second thought, "May I say something?"
Ichigo nodded eagerly, "Please, go ahead. Don't hold back".
At that moment, Inoue noticed the blacksmith's pupils begin to shake. It was upsetting to say the least. She did not wish to be the cause of his angst.
A brief pause of silence echoed in their ears. The only sound to be heard were the waves of the ocean hitting the side of the ship as it bobbed up and down on the water.
She glided her tongue over her dry lips before she tenderly expressed to the teenager, "I realized during our time apart one very important thing and I cannot allow another day to go by without telling you how I feel".
Withdrawing her hands from Ichigo for a singular purpose, Orihime sensed her face begin to turn warm from the amount of pressure she was putting on herself to confess her true feelings to Ichigo. Either way, no amount of planning would be able to predict the response the adolescent would have to her confession. Hopefully, their two hearts were awaiting to become whole once again as they had in the cemetery.
"I do not harbor any resentment against you for what's happened," her voice grew soft without her realizing it, "In fact, my feelings toward you have only grown stronger over time".
Before she could go further, Ichigo interrupted with his mouth partly open, "What are you trying to say Orihime?"
Letting out a drawn out breath, the Princess shut her eyes for a second and tried to calm her excited heart. However, she did not wish to delay the moment any longer.
Fluttering her eyes open to gaze directly at Ichigo's handsome mug, Orihime simply professed with a pure sentiment, "I'm in love with you".
The room was spinning.
Everything he ever thought he knew about Orihime was completely eradicated from his mind as a result of her five little, but meaningful words.
Was he dreaming what she had said? It certainly would be more believable than a princess loving a peasant such as himself. Nonetheless, at the same time, it felt like a miracle was bestowed upon him. After all, he too, shared the same ache in his heart for the aristocrat.
"I'm not good at expressing what I feel as elegantly as you," Ichigo asserted, "but hearing you say that you love me almost feels like a reality I don't deserve considering what I've done to you".
The Princess' face grew solemn. Was he saying he couldn't accept her declaration of love because of Shirosaki's actions? She decided to remain quiet on the matter until she heard all the details.
"Although after meeting with you today and being physically present for your forgiveness of me, nothing could have made me happier than that alone. But still, you continue to keep surprising me with your straight forward attitude".
Unable to let another second pass by and torture Orihime, Ichigo came outright and said, "I'm in love with you too".
"Really?!" she gasped, leaning forward on her hands.
The peasant boy's mouth broadened into a full-blown smile at seeing how delighted Orihime had become with his honesty.
"I mean it, Hime," he confirmed as he brushed away some loose strands of hair in her face. Although, despite that being the original intention, Ichigo's hand lingered against the Princess' flushed cheek. Immediately following the unexpected touch, Inoue's eyes darted to the side that was being held tenderly by Ichigo. Being in close proximity with him already had her mind racing every which way, but it was a feeling she relished nonetheless. The universe was once again aligned, and yet, they still had a long road ahead. The trial had not even begun to take place and the Princess sensed it would not be easy by any means. Ichigo would have to face the most prestigious family in the country and despite being a royal herself, she was also intimidated to meet Rukia's brother for the first time.
Even if she did not have the ability to stop the trial, the girl with the huge heart was going to try her best efforts to ensure her significant other would not be prosecuted unfairly by the judicial system.
With much to consider in the coming days, Orihime left her worries to be sorted out at a later time. For now, she was caught up in the euphoria of sharing a loving gaze with Ichigo as their eyes connected with each other in the dimly-lit bedroom. The young man's hand still rested against her face as his thumb stroked underneath her eye.
The Princess moved closer and tucked her legs in, almost as if she were praying to the heavens. She did not want to ruin the intoxicating atmosphere. The first time they kissed had been sweet and wonderful and she wanted to recreate the same impression she felt that day.
Consequently, Ichigo inched his face even further along and stopped once little space remained between the two of them. With few moments left to spare before Renji and Isshin returned for him, the peasant finally placed his lips upon Orihime as both of his hands slid through her soft hair to hold her close to him. The Princess met Ichigo was just as much vigor as he did, forgoing the little gentle kisses that occurred last time. The boy guided Orihime down on the mattress and hovered his body over her. They parted only for a brief second to catch a breath, only to quickly pick up right where they left off. It was different. The intimacy shared between the couple was more passionate than before. Their breathing could not be controlled and their hands explored each other's bodies with curiosity for brief intervals.
However, while it was all much appreciated by both parties involved, Ichigo uttered into the Princess' mouth, "We should slow down. They'll be coming for me any second".
Orihime wordlessly agreed and released her arms around Ichigo's neck. She sunk into the unkempt covers as her chest hurried to regain a proper pace of breath.
"Hime," Kurosaki's voiced called for her. The Princess looked over at Ichigo as he laid beside her. His clothes were ruffled from their time in the bed. Both of their hot breath swirled around the headboard.
"Yes?" she asked.
"I'll never forget this," he implored to her with an expression of contentment.
The maiden concurred with delight to her partner, "Me neither, Ichigo".
Happy belated birthday Ichi-kun!