~The Problem~
Time had never been important to her, to either of them.
It was an irrelevant creature, hiding in the shadows, slowly ticking on, without her notice. She Ai – had no real reason too, nothing ever changed; time for her was, in essence, consisted of when she had a client and when she did not. Nothing beyond those two points existed.
Nothing until now that is, now time for her, had a third and much more meaningful agent. No more was she aimlessly floating between two lifeless existences; she'd given up, given in, allowed herself to feel for him and in turn, he'd shown her life, or something like it. Flickers of possibility; for a life she now craved.
He'd inspired a sort of hope in her to bloom, just another branch of mortal emotion.
Time, it mattered once more to her; like a camera finding its focus, she has found her place in the frame. But with time, came the eventual realization, that they didn't have enough of it; not for each other at least.
His hand curled to the shape of her face, fingers dancing down to her chin, a thumb pad brushing softly across her lips.
A shiver
Looking up through her lashes, the unchanging sun though the paper covered window, playing on his face, creating lovely golds and russets on his skin, in his eyes. Ai can't for the life of her, remember how to breathe.
Then she feels it, the pull again in her stomach; stronger this time, causing her to move that much closer to him. His hand caresses once more her cheek; under her chin guiding her mouth up to his. Moment's pass by; quiet, gentle ones, then changing and shifting into something more intense. New and different as his lips find her ear, traveling down to find a home in the hollow of her throat.
A quiet gasp falling from her lips, something that was unheard, from her before now.
A momentary pause to listen, just in case, since the eternal world was so silent; beyond the always present low sound of the grandmother's wheel and the loud chime of the computer, there was almost no sound to disturb the lack of life.
That being said, something as small as an intake of breath; which would never normally be audible, to anyone more than a foot away. But in the world of every lasting dawn and dusk, everything was seen and heard. That was the point of this place after all.
Even though they are hidden, somewhat behind a folding screen, used normally to hang and to change into, her elaborate formal Kimono, there was always a risk…
Hearing nothing, but the gentle thrum of the spinner's wheel, they both relax, his lips once more returning to her skin. Ai allowing her head to tilt slightly, to give him better access. A few moments more, and she was feeling a little light headed, from the sensations that threatened to overwhelm her. "Here…" She whispers, breathe batted, understanding Ren brings his lips back to hers. She needs moments of familiarity, to re-group, so as to settle into the unfamiliar.
Intensity taking over once more; Ai finds that she's longing to have him closer. Breaking the contact, she makes to sit in his lap. A spot she's come to like; since it allows her more access to him, while still giving her a sense of control.
Sensing her intentions, he's just moved one hand to her waste, the other hocking underneath her knees, to shift her slight frame. When an all too familiar, yet never not startling, chime shatters the moment, making them both jump. Hands going slack on her waste, Ai finds herself suddenly tipping forward, the Kimono hindering her movements, causing her to land half sprawled and very ungracefully, on top of his now prone form.
Another first…
"Are you alright?" Ren whispers, voice concerned, as he quickly reaches out, hand on her tightly Obe clad middle, trying to keep her from falling, well more that is.
Nodding, cheeks flushing hot, Ai all the sudden, can't recall the reason for her new positioning. Quickly, she's become all too aware of the extraordinary feeling of his body, pressed so intimately into hers.
Moving away from him is the last thing she feels like doing.
"Ai," the soft, all knowing, insistent voice of her grandma calls out, a reminder, "You have a message."
Dammit…
"Coming, O-bāchan…"
Sighing, Ren carefully, sits them both up right. Hands intertwined between them, Ai allows her forehead to find his for a moment. Once more finding his mouth and placing a firm quick kiss there, before finally forcing herself away from him. The words passing quickly from her lips to his, in that brief contact of lips.
I love you.
They don't speak as he helps her up, hand still clasped tightly with hers.
What is there to say?
Straightening her formal robe, Ai lets his hand go, as she makes her way over to the computer. Turning back a few moments later, Ai finds that he's already allowed his form to shift back into one of straw. He was overdue; she hasn't been using him as often, as she should. Ai's tried to keep him on the investigation side of the contracts, so she could have a chance at keeping him close, throughout the case.
Not this time, especially after what they've just managed to get away with. It's time that he once again, resumes the role of her servant.
Hands clenching into fists, Ai feels a slight ache beginning in her throat, and the distinct sting of tears forming in the back of her eyes. Stop! You cannot cry…
Biting her lip, forcing the well of emotion down, Ai quickly retrieves her Seifuku, from where she had left it neatly folded up, when going to close another case, to ferry another soul; not but an hour before. Changing quickly, she emerges from behind the screen.
Gently holding his doll form, Ai departs for the mortal world, to once more resuming her role as Hell Girl.
The Hell Correspondence…
It consumed all of her, bound her precious time in chains, and held her trapped in its inescapable spider's web.
More than anything, Ai wants it, her mortal clock returned to her. She wants to stop merely existing, never changing, always staying still.
She wants freedom.
Hasn't she earned a little of that by now?
Heaven…
She likes the sound of it.
AN: Sorry about the wait! These last few weeks have been filled with finishing up assignments and now, finals are starting next week, so basically college kills, but what else is new?
Also apologies for the re-upload and possible spam for people who follow this story. I often work on each chapter very late at night, because that's when I feel I work best. But because of that I usually end up with errors that I'm too tired to catch properly. Most of the time I find they aren't too noticeable, but I looked back on this chap this morning, and saw a lot of obvious mistakes. So I just decided to go through a re-upload!
I hope you all enjoy! And reminder that reviews are great for feedback and they keep me motivated to write.
Also, can you find the S4 reference? (:
Let me know what you think!
Mia ^~^