His lips were a bit dry, but that wouldn't be a problem for Ai's purpose. They tasted the same as the smell of alcohol she'd noticed in the living room though. Bitter, more than she'd anticipated. Off-putting, to be honest. But that wasn't a problem either. If she went past it, it'd be alright. Right? Except, he didn't let her in immediately. Why? This is not how kisses work, right? Ai had to push her tongue with a bit more force, locking her hands a bit better around the union of his shoulders and neck, until he finally took the hint.

Hmmm… Yes, this is better. Cool, not that much bitterness…

Okay, good. Should she be concerned about the hesitation though? It's not like it hadn't happened to her before, but those were completely different circumstances. "They" had been exploring things for the first time, figuring everything out. Did she overlook something here? Ah... No, that can't be it. When he reciprocated, things just connected. This... It felt familiar enough that Ai could simply go on, probe his mouth without much input. Without really thinking about it.

Ai felt something scratch her thigh. Her jeans weren't form-fitting, so she mostly felt the fabric drag against her skin. A rather curious sensation given that she was otherwise too busy to really understand it. Although the rough way the movement happened felt like being scratched… Was he…? Were those his fingers? His nails? Ai couldn't see what was going on, as she had closed her eyes when their lips touched, but it felt like he was moving his fingers without taking his hand off the sidewalk. Was he looking for her hand? But she had them close to his face, so he wouldn't find them. Still, she couldn't be sure. If only there was a way to stop having her eyes closed…

He pushed his forehead closer to hers, bumping slightly and pulling his chin back. Making the connection break as he gasped for air. Which Ai didn't fully register until the chilly air entered her throat basically uninvited.

"Hoshi—" Ai didn't let him finish. Why should she? The air was painfully chilly, his mouth was warm. This time, Ai felt her own lips get sucked in. A bit too much, but it wasn't uncomfortable so she just did the same.

That's how it's supposed to go, right? Push and pull, give and take. Or that's how it should be until the insistence in pulling back made Ai's mind click and had her finally release him.

"Ah…" The streetlight illuminated a small string of saliva that was severed almost as soon as Ai opened her eyes, seeing the other side end in an expression that could only be described as overwhelmed. His eyes were focused on her, so much so that she felt like the only thing that he could actually see was her form. Or at least that what she'd think while going back to that moment. It made sense, as she felt self-conscious of her own expression. Not because she knew what her face looked like, but because she understood intuitively that she wasn't smiling.

So she did. As naturally as flipping a switch. Showing her teeth and narrowing her eyes, although she didn't really know why. It actually got in the way of her focusing her gaze. There was no reason for it. Just like there was no reason for the warmth she felt on her cheeks or keeping her hands on him.

There's no reason to any of that, she can't keep him in her hold forever. She can't focus her sight right with that expression. She can't stretch that moment any further. She could only fall back on old habits, try to show herself at her strongest. Like everything was according to plan, like she got away with doing what she wanted. Even though her head had as many ideas, or thoughts at all, as there are… Things… In places where… They shouldn't be…

Right.

Hopefully he wouldn't ask questions, because she had no answer to give. Not even premeditated ones, or given to her to keep appearances. Although his panting made her realize that he was too busy catching his breath to really say anything.

"Ehehehe…" A chance! If she seized the initiative, then certainly… "Eh?"

Whatever Ai's consciousness could've come up with, it died out without fully forming as she fully registered the emotions going in front of her. His eyes were still solely on Ai's face, but the moment they'd shared was completely annihilated in an instant. Leaving behind nothing but anger, unequivocal in the way his jaw was clanged and his features sharpened to the point that it felt like she was seeing a completely different person.

Ai flinched, but the emotion was drained completely. Like he'd missed a step and the boiling feeling had fallen through a drain, leaving behind nothing but the rapidly growing humidity in his eyes and a lot of confusion that Ai got contaminated with.

"Sorry. I…" He quickly turned around, frantically using his sleeves to clean off the evidence of his unrestrained emotions. He gave Ai his back completely, and her stomach felt a lot heavier when she could see neither his expression nor what he was doing as he slouched even more like he was halfway through curling onto himself. "It's all too sudden, I…"

Ai blinked, searching for something to say. But she couldn't even bring herself to say his name. She tried to recall something, anything, but her mind refused to give her a straight answer. So, instead, all she could do was reach out and place a hand on his back.

He flinched at her touch, but Ai didn't pay any attention to it. If she couldn't think, then she'd go with her instinct. It seldom failed her, after all. And she could deal with the fallout later, when she was saner.

"Hey." Her voice had turned sweet without her say so, and her smile was smaller than usual. Focused, if she had to put a word to describe it. Which she used to full effect by placing a finger on his chin and pulling back so he would face her at least partially. "Was it that bad?"

"…"

"Did you hate it?" Ai insisted, turning her words into a whisper and getting her face closer. Inviting.

He opened his mouth, although Ai didn't know if he wanted to answer or not. She leaned in closer, and only managed to narrowly see him shut his mouth again before she could touch him.

She stopped.

"You hated it." She hadn't meant it to be an accusation, but her tone didn't fully obey her either. It was… Weird. Like, not in the sense that she didn't understand why it was happening. She was winging it, after all. She couldn't rehearse a situation that hadn't come up before. But she wanted to think she had better control over herself all the same.

Instead of answering, he put a hand on her shoulder and slowly pushed her away. Like he was afraid she'd fall back and get hurt.

"I can't."

"You can, you did. It was nice." Was it? Well, she'd do it again. Does that mean it was nice? At least it means she didn't hate it, right? Yeah. That checks out.

More…

"Hoshino." His tone had become threatening, or at least on edge. It felt as though even his hair wanted to stand, like his whole body language had become defensive.

It made her stop for a moment, weigh the options that she couldn't think about. But which she couldn't ignore because the signs were there, the warning was clear. Like a venomous snake… It made her think of a rattlesnake, evoking its warning noise. Coiled around itself. Not to hunt, but telling what it thought was danger that it itself was more dangerous.

"You hated it." She didn't know what to say, so she repeated herself. It made him pause, at least. But this whole situation was less than ideal.

"That's beside the point."

"No."

"No?" He parroted, incredulous. "Hoshino, you—"

"Don't bring anything up. Not tonight, not right now." She dragged herself closer, narrowly avoiding the invasion of his personal space. But placing a hand on his cheek, locking eyes so that he wouldn't escape.

"Don't you have a partner already?" The fear in his eyes was evident, and although Ai's mind was mixed with the images brought by his words, she still couldn't put what she felt in clear words.

"Not anymore." Now, she made a point of pouting. Hands still on him. "Do you really think I'm that sort of person? I'm hurt."

"But…" His words were stopped by Ai's finger going to his lips.

"Not anymore." She repeated.

She had known he'd figure it out, given Aqua had been seen. But it annoyed her a little that the first thing his mind would go to was that she was cheating. Instead of literally anything else. She didn't know if this came from his niceness or the light that recent events shone over his image of Ai but…

Well, she needed to fix that. Convey that her heart wasn't anywhere else. Hmmm… Yes. Make it so he was certain, preferably through action, if he was so worried that he wasn't the only one without a…

Ai's gaze became sharp.

"…Do you have a partner, Hachiman-san?" His name almost felt alien to her own ears. And the question seemed to slap him out of his own hangups. He physically recoiled from it, and Ai could tell that it made him tense through her hands. Feeling how his neck tensed.

"…No." Was all he said, his defenses dropping once more.

That's all Ai needed to hear.

"Then it's fine." Ai's brightness returned to her face. "Let's do this."

"We can't."

"We did." She reminded him, inching closer.

"Your career…"

"No one has to know." Ai whispered.

"It's dangerous."

"Doesn't that make it exciting?"

"You're…"

"The only thing in your mind, I hope." Ai brushed her lips against his own. Barely holding back, her eyes barely open. "C'mon. Just once."

He opened his mouth but Ai never figured out if he meant to protest or take the initiative. She pressed herself against him again, coiling her arms around his neck instead of just putting her hands there. Turning the distance between them non-existent.

This time, he brought his arms up, surrounding her back with them and pulling her in. Pressing her body given that there was no further room to cover, making Ai unwittingly think about the rules for giving good hugs according to what she'd heard.

Number one, put some strength in and…

She bit his lower lip playfully, and although it startled him at first; she managed to convey the idea. Take the lead for what she wanted. He mimicked her a moment later, giving Ai free pass to lick his upper lip while her fingers intertwined with his hair. The opposite, right hand, dumbly looking for the neck of his clothes and failing miserably because of the stupid hoodie that his sweater had.

Number one is… Number one…

He pulled back a bit, trying to breathe before Ai gave chase. Sealing his lips again. He sort of blew into her mouth because she hadn't given him the time, and it tingled around the inner part of her cheeks. She chuckled, because her mind couldn't come up with another reaction, and in turn bit his lower lip with a bit more force. Making him shiver.

More… More…!

How strange. The night was no longer chilly, and the tension from a very rough day had seemingly faded out of existence on its own. She'd talked with the Saitou couple before arriving, tracing a plan that now escaped Ai's mind entirely. She'd pushed for them to be more reasonable; they'd insisted on being rougher in the situation. Yet… Why? What happened? She couldn't remember. There was no before or after, no concept of time while the wet sound of their tongues reached Ai's ears and electrified her brain. She had things to do, but no item in the list came to mind. There were places she had to go, but she didn't even care where she was then and there. There were urgent matters to attend to, but someone else could do so. Ai was busy, after all.

Leave tomorrow to tomorrow. There's nothing else but this. Nothing exists, nothing matters. This… Whatever this is. The feeling of connection, of understanding even through the inability to understand. Of coming to an unspoken agreement, letting the other take as much as they wanted. Looking the other way to where their hands strayed toward, embracing the intensity.

Ai did not understand many things, but the physical side? It's nothing she understood a bit better.

"Ah…" But even that had to end, even Ai's brain would eventually grow too dizzy to function even in this fractional way. And when it happened, all she could do was cup his cheeks with her hands and try to discern anything with her glazed over eyes. Try to be a functioning person again.

His tongue was out to, and for a brief moment Ai's body dictated that they should continue. And she closed her eyes once more, but his voice made her stop and open her eyes.

"You said…" His breathing was rough like he'd ran through the entire city. And while Ai desperately scratched her tongue with her teeth, he managed to catch enough of his bearings to speak. "…You said only once."

She did, yes. But…

"Saitou-san will probably come back at any moment." He wheezed, forcing himself to speak clearly before Ai could take advantage of any break.

She did ask for a bit of time, but Miyako-san would probably not want to leave her alone for long… Come to think of it, they weren't outside for more than 10 minutes. Right? It felt like an eternity. Like she'd gone through an entire lifetime and come back exactly to the point where she started.

Ai blinked and pulled back, taking the hint for once.

"She will, yes." She had an easier time getting her breathing in check. So she did just that in spite of the discomfort in her lungs. "I, ummm, y'know."

His only reaction was to stand up, doing so like he'd partially forgotten how to move his legs. Or maybe like an old man, struggling to hold his own weight? It was a strangely stiff kind of movement that boys sometimes did. Although Ai didn't really understand why.

She pushed herself off the ground too, but his hand reached out before she could get to his feet. Inviting.

Ai smiled out of habit and took it to help herself.

"How gallant."

"Yes, well…" He coughed into his fist. Looking away into the distance, gaze blank. Breathing still not under complete check. "I, uh, we should… Y'know. We should go back inside."

Ai's eye twitched.

"Where those women are?" It still felt strange, and annoying now that he mentioned the house again. What's up with that adult woman? Why is it every time Ai meets a guy there's someone like that?

Why is this teacher so big as well?

His eyes sharpened when Ai asked that.

"I… It'd be kind of uncomfortable." She scrambled her brain for excuses, remembering when one of her fellow idols had confessed to have broken up with her boyfriend. Shame… Shame works here, right? She can put up a front like this, right? "Y'know…"

"You should've thought about it before…" He closed his eyes, face still red.

"I kinda liked it." Did she? Well, she kept going for it. So maybe she didn't hate it. And that's a start, right? With this she at least could now say for sure that…

Hmmm…

"Let's…" He looked even redder, refusing to meet her gaze even when the silence stretched for a far too long. "Let's go back inside."

"Right." Ai spoke softly, with no gleaming or extra energy. She was too busy having her brain catch up. Try to figure out the most important thing here.

What did she do that for again? Oh, man. She'd have to do it again to figure it out, right?